COUNTY 

CENTENNIAL 


Centennial     Book 


Fou uf (in)  County  Centennial 
( 'elebration  Officials 


Executive  Committee 

from 

Daughters  of  American  Revolution 

MRS.    C.    W.    DICE,    Regent 

Mrs.    H.    K.    BILSLAND.    General    Chairman 

Miss     Verna     Glascock  Mrs.    W.    B.    Coffing 

Mrs.    William    N.    White  Mrs.    J.    Earl    Romine 

Mrs.   A.    M.   DeHaven  Miss    Jess    DeHaven 

Mrs.    O.    R.    Kerr 


Township  Chairmen 


Jackson — Ira    Wilkinson  Troy — Mrs.    C.    W.    Dice 

Millcreek — Mrs.    Alonzo    H.    Lindley  Richland — Charles     R.     McKinney 

Fulton — Warren    A.    Randolph  Shawnee — I.    A.    Head 

Wabash — Mrs.    Max    Bodine  Logan — Mrs.   Albert   Cobb 

Cain — Thurman     Long  Davis — Miss   Grace   Earl 
Van    Buren — Mrs.    Bessie    Hurst 

Committee    Chairmen 

Covington    Chamber    of    Commerce —  Decoration — Charles    Massey 

W.   H.    Lykins  Old    Dolls   and    Photographs — 
Publicity — Mrs.    J.    Earl    Romine  Mrs.    W.    B.    Dunlap 

Parade — Mrs.    A.    M.    DeHaven  Historical — Clarence    W.    Nelson 

Homecoming — Mrs.    W.    B.    Coffing  Pageant — Frank    Shelby 

Reunion — Mrs.    O.    R.    Kerr  Costume — Mrs.   Dan  V.  Clem 

Birthday    Cake — Miss    Jess    DeHaven  Reception — Judge    O.    B.    Ratcliff 

Relics — Mrs.    N.    G.    Harlow  Speaker — C.   W.   Dice 
Community  Dinner — Mrs.  J.   W.   McMahon  Courtesy — Mrs.    Belle    Bilsland 

Old     Melodies     Concert — Mrs.     W.     H.  Centennial    Queen — Mrs.    C.    W.   Dice 

Lykins  Cover    Design — Eugene    Savage 
Centennial     Eook — Mrs.    Worth    Reed 


Author  of  Pageant 

MRS.    WILLIAM    N.    WHITE 

Director  of  Pageant 

MISS   VERNA   GLASCOCK 


Fountain    County 


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"On    the    Banks    of    the    Wabash 


Centennial     Book 


THE   CENTENNIAL 

BOOK 


OFFICIAL    PROGRAM    OF    THE    CEREMONIES 

AND  THE  PAGEANT  IN  CELEBRATION  OF 

THE     CENTENNIAL     OF     FOUNTAIN 

COUNTY,   AT    COVINGTON, 

INDIANA 

Sponsored   by 

RICHARD  HENRY  LEE  CHAPTER  D.  A.  R. 


FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 
INDIANA 


1826 


1926 


(Copyright   1926,   Daughters  of  American   Revolution,   Richard    Henry   Lee   Chapter) 


Fountain    County 


GENERAL  PROGRAM 


TUESDAY,  AUGUST  10 


Afternoon 


3:00  P.  M. — Old  Melodies  Concert 

7:30  P.  M—  Band  Concert 

8:00  P.  M. — Historical  Pageant 


High  School  Auditorium 
Covington  Fairground 
Covington   Fairground 


WEDNESDAY.  AUGUST  11 


Homecoming  Day 


Morning 

10:00  A.  M. — Parade:     Historical,  Industrial  and  Fraternal 
Crowning  of  Miss  Centennial 

12:00  M.       — Community  Dinner         .... 

1 :00  P.  M. — Fountain  County's  Birthday  Cake 
Cut  by  Miss  Centennial 

1:30  P.  M. — Concert:      Fountain   County   Bands 

2:30  P.  M. — Speaking  by  Famous  Hoosiers 

7:30  P.  M.— Band  Concert 

8:00  P.  M. — Historical  Pageant         .... 


Covington   Fairground 


Covington  Fairground 

Covington  Fairground 

Covington  Fairground 

Covington  Fairground 


Centennial      Book 


MISS    DAVIS 

WREATHA   PEARSON 


MISS    RICHLAND 

LEAH   ROYAL 


M|5S  SHAWNEE 

MARY     HOAGLAND 


MISS    CAIN 

MERLE    BEVER, 


MISS  JACKSON 

GLADYS    KELLER 


MISS    FULTON 

VIOLA    RANDOLPH 


MIS5  TROY 

DE LORES  KERR 


MISS  M1LLCREEK 

MAXINE    GLASCOCK 


Fountain    County 


PAGEANT 

THE  MARCH  OF  A  CENTURY 


zA   PORTRAYAL  OF  THE  SETTLEMENT 

AND  PROGRESS  OF  FOUNTAIN 

COUNTY 


IN  THREE  PARTS 


1826  1926 


MRS.  WILLIAM   N.  WHITE,  Author 
MISS  VERNA  GLASCOCK,  Director 


Centennial      Book 


PRELUDE 


A  flare  of  trumpets.     A   pause  of  silence.     A   he: aid,   mounted   on   a    white  charger 
appears  in  the  distance,  rides  swiftly  to  the  front,  raises  his  hand  and  speaks: 


Herald 


Out  of  the  north  came  the  glacier. 

That   monster  so  grim  and   relentless, 

Crushing  all  in  the  pathway  before  it, 

Hehind  it  a  vast  desolation; 

But   nature  so  lavish   with   blessings 

Of  sunshine,  of  dew  and  of  rain. 

Brought  the  trees,  the  grass  and  the  flowers. 

Made  a  region  of  beauty  again. 

Down  through   the   broad,  fertile  valleys 

Wind  gently  the  beautiful  rivers. 

Ever  fed  by  the  many  small  streamlets 

Trickling  down  from  hillside  and  glen. 

And  time  is  long  in  the  passing, 

Slowly  come  God's  creatures  again. 

In  the  coming  and  going  of  centuries, 

Come  the  tribes  of  the  wild,  red  men. 

From  this  region  of  hill,  plain  and  valley, 

Was  carved  out  our  own  Indiana. 

In  its  confines  winds  slowly  the  Wabash — 

Most  beautiful  and  famous  of  rivers; 

As  it  wends  its  way  down  from  the  eastward, 

Curves  gently  away  to  the  southland. 

In  its  curve  lies  peaceful  the  county 

Whose  Centennial  we're  observing  today. 

Let's  turn  back  the  pages  of  history. 

Begin  life  a  century  ago, 

Live  through  those  wonderful  epochs 

As  before  you  their  scenes  will  unroll. 

May  our  hearts  be  filled  with  due  reverence 

For  brave  men,  so  true  and  so  kind. 

Who  gave  freely  their  all  to  posterity, 

To  progress  and  uplift  of  mankind. 


PART    ONE 
Time:    Beginning — 1826 

EPISODE    I 


A  call  of  attention  is  sounded  from  tne  tower:  A  chariot  drawn  by  two  ponies, 
carrying  four  small  children  as  Forest  Spirits  appears  from  the  darkness.  The  Spirits 
alight  and  seek  airily  for  someone,  finally  ascend  the  tower  and  discover  the  Horologist 
asleep.  They  awaken  him,  then  descend  to  their  chariot  and  drive  away.  The  Horolo- 
gist arises,  looks  around  in  astonishment  and  begins  to  speak: 

Horologist — 

Behold  you  the  nymphs  of  the  woodland. 

The  sweet  scented  flowers  from  the  prairies. 

They  gather  in  radiant  raiment. 

They  mingle  in  spirits,  ecstatic. 

They  dance  in  transporting  rapture 

In  praise  of  that  Being  called  nature. 

Who  provides  in  bountiful  measure 

The  fairest  and  richest  of  home  lands. 

The  murmuring  pines  on  the  hill  top, 

The  stately  oak  in  the  valley 

Are  bearded  with  moss  and  woodbine 

Wreathing  their  trunks  with  beauty. 

Fleecy  clouds  float  airily  o'er  them, 

Revealing  the  sky  blue  of  heaven. 

The  song  of  waters  from  rivers, 

Creating  emotions  ethereal. 


Fountain    County 

Enter  the  Water  Nymphs  of  the  Wabash  River,  who  wind  their  way  through  the 
Wabash  Valley — as  yet  unknown  to  man,  who  enthrone  their  Queen — the  Forest  Spirit. 
The  Forest  Queen  receives  her  attendant  spirits  with  eagerness  and  rapture,  and  sum- 
mons Spring  and  her  three  companion  months.  They  declare  their  fealty  to  the  Forest 
Spirit  and  lead  forward  for  her  entertainment  the  dainty  Flowers,  the  sparkling  Rain- 
drops, the  wee  Birds,  who  join  in  a  ballet  in  honor  of  Spring. 

Spring  then  runs  to  welcome  the  coming  of  Summer,  while  the  attendants  of  Spring 
seek  the  background.  Summer,  with  her  three  months  hastens  to  greet  the  Forest 
Spirit,  then  drifts  into  a  dreamy  dance,  surrounded  by  her  Clouds,  the  Sunbeams  and 
the  humming  Bees. 

Summer  sees  Autumn  appearing  in  the  distance,  serenely  goes  to  greet  her  and  her 
three  months  who  advance  mildly  and  calmly  to  pay  homage  to  the  Forest  Spirit.  Then 
the  Autumn  becomes  wilder  in  her  movements  of  the  dance.  The  leaves  come  rushing 
to  the  scene,  followed  by  the  Frost  Spirits  who  whirl  through  a  merry  dance.  As 
Winter  with  her  three  months,  advances,  Autumn  is  driven  from  the  scene  and  the 
Snow  Man  with  the  Snow  Spirits  hold  revel.  At  the  close  of  this  dance  the  four  sea- 
sons group  themselves  in  the  foreground  of  the  picture. 

EPISODE    II 

The    Coming    of   the    Red    Men 

Horologist — 

Come  Indians,  the  native  wild  red  men 
And  silently  view  the  wild  frolic, 
Entranced  by  the  great  primal  forests, 
By  grasses  that  nod  in  the  breezes, 
By  scent  of  the  wild  plum  and  hawthorn, 
By  the  lure  of  the  gurgling  Wabash. 
They  join  in  frenzied  wild  dancing, 
They  call  to  their  mates  to  come  hither 
And  join  in  glad  approbation 
For  regions  so  rich  and  so  fruitful, 
The  grandest  of  all  in  the  nation; 
Build  huts  in  the  edge  of  the  forest, 
Blaze  their  way  on  the  trail  of  the  bison, 
Grow  their  corn  in  the  valleys,  so  fertile, 
Enthralled  by  the  Great  Spirit's  blessing. 

Meantime,  the  Red  Men  have  been  attracted  here  by  the  sounds  of  revelry.  Only 
a  few  appear,  at  first.  When  the  Spirit  of  the  Forest  sees  them,  she  beckons  them  to 
her  and  the  Wabash  Nymphs  gladly  welcome  them.  The  Indians  then  give  an  Indian 
call,  which  is  answered  in  the  distance  by  another  call.  One  of  the  maidens  sings, 
"Far  Off  I  Hear  a  Lover's  Lute,"  and  is  answered  by  a  Brave  who  enters  singing, 
"From  the  Land  of  the  Sky  Blue  Water."  The  Forest  Spirit  blesses  them,  gives  them 
possession  of  the  land  and  as  other  Indians  enter  setting  up  tepees  and  busying  them- 
selves with  the  general  business  of  Indian  life,  the  dancers  disappear.  A  group  of 
Indian  maidens  then  give  a  dance  of  worship  and  thanksgiving  for  the  new  land. 

Tecumseh's  brother,  The  Prophet,  with  a  number  of  his  warriors  arrive  and  is 
greeted  by  the  chief  and  his  Braves  and  a  Council  of  War  is  held  under  a  tree.  The 
Prophet  speaks  and  the  business  of  the  council  is  finished.  As  the  Prophet  and  his 
Braves,  accompanied  by  the  young  Braves  start  on  their  journey,  the  Squaws  indulge 
in  a  wild  war  dance.  After  the  dance  the  squaws  and  remaining  Indians  proceed  with 
the  regular  duties  of  Indian  life. 

Presently  a  group  of  very  young  Braves  in  great  alarm  attract  the  attention  of  the 
tribe  to  the  coming  of  the  pale  face. 

EPISODE   III 

Explorers,  Jesuits   and   Traders    Drift    Down   the   Wabash 

Horologist — ■ 

Mad  lust  for  wealth  and  dominion 
Urged  white  men  on  toward  the  sunset. 
Down  currents  of  emerald  banked  rivers, 
Their  portage,  the  trail  of  the  Indian, 
Came  explorers,  the  Jesuits,  the  traders, 
To  the  haunts  of  the  native  tribesman. 


Centennial      Book 

Braving  terrors  of  savage  destruction, 
In  conquest   of  land  for  their  sovereign; 
Bringing  trinkets  and   arms  for  exchanging 
For  pelts  of  the  bison  and  beaver; 
Devoting   their  lives:   to  the  mission 
Of  teaching  the  truths  of  religion, — 
The  seal  of  all  councils,  the  peace  pipe — 
That  symbol  of  trust  and  safe  conduct. 

A  French  explorer,  a  Jesuit,  and  traders  appear  with  their  canoes,  in  the  distance, 
carrying  the  French  Flag  and  articles  of  exchange.  The  Indians  stand  in  awe  and  the 
chiefs  and  braves  draw  nearer  as  they  approach.  The  explorer  takes  possession  in  the 
name  of  France  and  erects  the  French  Flag.  The  Jesuit  plants  the  cross  and  kneels  in 
worship.  The  traders  exchange  blankets,  arms  and  trinkets  for  bundles  of  fur.  The 
explorer  and  the  Jesuit  sit  with  the  chiefs  around  the  fire  smoking  the  Calumet.  A 
group  of  braves  and  maidens  assemble.  The  white  men  chant:  "Salve  Mater  Miseri- 
cordiae." 

EPISODE   IV 

The  Coming   of   Pioneers 

Horologist — 

Imbued  with  insatiable  ambition 

To  obtain  for  themselves  and  their  children 

A  home  and  heritage,  abundant. 

Came  the  first  of  our  Pioneer  fathers. 

Lured  on  to  the  western  horizon 

By  tales  trickling  back  through  the  forest, 

Of  a  land  of  marvelous  richness 

On  the  banks  of  the  beautiful  Wabash, — 

The  blue  canopy  of  heaven  above  them, 

Around  them  the  virginal  forest; 

Within  them  the  strength  and  the  courage 

To  conquer  the  forces  of  nature, 

To  attain  their  highest  ambition, 

A  heritage  to  posterity,  immortal. 

Three  men  and  two  boys  arrive  on  horseback,  carrying  with  them  tools  with  which 
to  work  in  the  forest  and  their  guns.  They  view  the  country  and  select  sites  for  their 
homes.  After  this  is  done  two  of  the  men  return  to  the  east  to  bring  their  families.  In 
the  meantime,  the  remaining  men  have  erected  a  cabin  and  made  ready  for  the 
families.  Soon  covered  wagons  are  seen  and  the  families  of  Johnathan  Burch,  John 
Colvert  and  William  Cochran  arrive,  bringing  with  them  cows,  dogs,  crude  farm- 
ing tools,  household  goods  and  other  articles  of  use.  They  are  warmly  welcomed  and 
introduced  to  their  new  home.  They  appear  highly  pleased  and  proceed  to  the  several 
duties  of  Pioneer  life.  Many  other  men,  women  and  children  arrive  in  wagons,  on 
horseback  and  on  foot. 

Some  of  the  men  are  busy  with  caring  for  the  tools,  the  harness  and  the  stock. 
Others  come  from  the  forests  with  game  while  others  are  stretching  the  skins  of  ani- 
mals on  the  sides  of  the  cabin. 

The  children  are  busy  with  games  of  leap  frog  and  ball. 

A  part  of  the  women  are  busy  with  the  household  work,  while  others  are  making 
soap,  washing  and  milking  the  cows. 

Lovers  are  seen  in  the  semi-darkness. 

Presently  the  children  scream  and  all  run  to  them  and  discover  a  den  of  snakes 
which  the  men  proceed  to  kill. 

EPISODE    V 

Church  and  School 

Horologist— 

That  there  may  not  be  lost  to  the  future 

In  this  land  of  promise  and  hope 

The  mysteries  of  knowledge  and  learning 

The  value  of  minds  well  equipped. 

In  the  edge  of  the  forest  were  builded 


Fountain    County 

Schools  for  instruction  in  learning 
Where  the  youth  from  afar  came  together, 
To  sit  on  cruel  benches  of  birchwood; 
And  receive  from  the  hands  of  the  master, 
More  cruel   than   the  benches   they   sit   on. 
The  rudiments  of  learning  and  culture 
In  the  simple,  but  useful  curriculum. 
Came  the  strong,  the  astute,  the  ambitious 
Laid  foundations  of  skill  and  refinement 
Became  in  times  of  dissension 
The  mainstay  and  guide  of  the  nation. 
Not  forgetting  the  God  of  their  fathers, 
But  remembering  the  teachings  of  childhood 
They  built  in  their  primitive  homeland 
In  the  lands  so  recently  settled 
Built  in  the  forest  their  churches 
Close  by  the  side  of  the  school  house 
The  church  and  school  built  together 
Both  sacred, — the  hope  of  our  people. 

The  Schoolmaster  arrives,  is  greeted  and  calls  the  children  to  a  school  session  by 
ringing  his  bell.     Rude  benches  are  brought  from  the  cabin  and  the  session  is  held. 

The  minister  rides  in  on  his  horse  and  is  warmly  welcomed  and  his  saddle  bags 
filled  with  divers  provisions.  He  assembles  his  flock  in  the  open  and  services  are  con- 
ducted by  singing  and  preaching.  As  the  services  close  the  wedding  party  is  made 
ready.  The  groom,  James  C.  Davis  with  his  friends  arrive  on  horseback.  The  bride, 
Miss  Sallie  Johnson,  is  led  from  the  cabin  and  they  are  married  in  the  presence  of  all. 

After  the  wedding  supper  all  join  in  the  dancing  of  square  sets,  jigging  and  "cut- 
ting out"  to  the  music  of  the  old  time  fiddler,  during  which  the  groom  mounts  his 
horse,  takes  his  bride  behind  him  and  departs  to  their  new  home. 

INTERLUDE 

The  trumpets  flare.     The  Herald  again  dashes  to  the  front  on  his  steed  and  reads: 
Herald — 

Time's  ship  speeds  rapidly  onward, 

Full  ladened  with  human  progression. 

To  the  port  of  our  County's  foundation, 

To  the  border  of  civilized  life. 

Far  out  on  the  redolent  breezes 

Floats  the  rhythm  of  the  woodman's  axe, 

As  he  conquers  the  primeval  forests, 

Builds  his  home  in  unsullied  tracts. 

On  the  banks  of  the  rivers  and  streamlets, 

From  their  waters  so  fresh  and  pellucid, 

Lies  the  catch  of  the  pioneer  angler 

Glistening  silver  and   gold   in  the   sun, 

The  huntsman  brings  game  from  the  forest, 

The  herds  graze  at  peace  in  the  dell, 

Ripening  fruit  hangs  low  on  the  branches, 

New  winnowed  the  hay  in  the  glade, 

The  plowshare  gleams  bright  in  the  furrow, 

Golden  glints  the  grain  in  the  sun, 

Gentle  breezes  waft  softly  the  corn  blades, 

The  fruitfulness  of  labor  well  done. 

The  candle  lights  gleam  through  the  darkness. 

The  firelight's  glow  on  many  hearths 

Makes  the  life  of  the  Pioneer  Mother 

Less  lonely,  surrounds  her  with  cheer. 

The  hopes,  the  prospects,  the  future 

Grow  brighter  and  nearer  fruition. 

All  nature  is  full  and  awaiting 

The  conquering  hand  of  man. 

With  courage  undaunted  and  steadfast. 

With  the  blessings  of  Him  that  forsakes  not. 

They  laid  the  solid  foundations 

Of  this  County,  we  love  so  well. 

Let's  follow  their  path  for  a  century. 


Centennial     Book 

Live  with  them,  through  scenes,  gay  or  sad, 
Oh,  may  they   inspire  in  our  being 
That   tribute  of   reverence,   we  owe. 

PERIOD  TWO 

1826-1926 
EPISODE    VI 
Organization   of   Fountain    County — 1826 
Horologist — 

Time  passes;    the  days  of  the  settlers 
Are  taken  with   duties   around   them, 
But  often  their  time  is  devoted 
To  letters  sent  back  to  the  loved  ones. 
The  glowing  accounts  of  their  country, 
The  faith  of  success  in  their  venture, 
Cause  kinsmen  and  many  old  neighbors 
To  follow  the  trail  of  the  leaders, 
The  way  has  been  blazoned  before  them, 
The  tracks  wind  out  to  the  westward, 
Soon  the  hills,  the  plains  and  the  valleys 
Are  dotted  with  "Nests  of  the  Hoosier." 
With  the  coming  of  numbers  of  people 
Comes  the  need  of  organized  effort 
For  safety  and  self  preservation. 
For  government   of   pioneer  life. 
At  this  time  was  our  county  created, 
Called  Fountain,  the  name  it  still  bears, 
To  the  hands  of  the  sturdy  old  settlers 
Came  control  of  divers  affairs, 
Divided  the  county  into  townships, 
Arranged  for  all  business  at  hand. 
Located  the  great  "Seat  of  Justice" 
At  Covington  as  at  present  it  stands. 

A  company  of  men  accompanied  by  surveyors  creating  the  county,  is  seen  in  the 
distance.  Immediately  follows  the  meeting  of  the  Justices  at  the  home  of  Isaac 
Spinning  where  the  county  is  divided  into  townships  and  the  county  seat  located  at 
Covington. 

Five  girls  representing  the  five  townships,  Shawnee,  Richland,  Troy,  Wabash  and 
Cain,  into  which  the  county  was  divided  pass  in  review  immediately  after  the  division 
is  made. 

Isaac  Coleman  appears  on  horseback  and  presents  his  plat  and  donations  to  the 
Board  of  Justices,  in  which  was  donated  the  Public  Square,  School  and  Church  sites. 

EPISODE   VII 
Court  Scene 


Horologist- 


The  cycles  of  years  pass  quickly, 
The  growth  of  the  County  is  rapid. 
The  fertile  lands  blossom  with  plenty. 
New  homes  supplant  the  rude  cabins, 
The  fear  of  the  Indian  has  vanished, 
The  trials  and  hardships  are  past, 
For  happiness,   peace  and   prosperity 
Have  crowned  their  endeavors  at  iast, 
The  building  of  roads  and  of  cities, 
The  instruments  of  commerce  and  greeting. 
Of  canals  was  constructed  the  greatest 
The  Wabash  and  Erie  canal. 
Emigrants  employed   in  this   labor 
Became  they,  a  part  of  this  people. 
The  progress  and  growth  of  our  county, 
The  business  arising  therefrom, 


Fountain    County 

Attract  great  minds  to  its  borders, 

All  schooled  in  letters  and   law. 

Come  Hannegan,  Wallace  and  Voorhees — 

The  statesman,  the  writer,  the  jurist, 

Whose  names  loom  large  in  our  annals, 

Whose  fame  gained  national  renown. 

Judge  Naylor  and  the  associate  Judges  and  other  members  of  the  bar  are  in  a 
Court  Session  and  appear  to  be  awaiting  some  one.  In  time  a  lone  horseman  is  seen 
approaching  from  the  west  and  on  arriving  ties  his  horse  and  enters  the  Court.  This 
man  is  Abraham  Lincoln  and  is  cordially  welcomed;  by  the  Bar.  His  business  con- 
cluded he  leaves  the  Court  scene  and  retires  to  the  liotel.  There  are  numerous  shrill 
whistles  from  the  boats  on  the  Canal  and  many  workmen  are  seen  returning  to  their 
homes.  At  this  time  a  cab  arrives  and  the  Honorable  Edward  A.  Hannegan  greets  old 
friends  and  makes  a  speech  on  the  Northern  Boundary  question  and  as  his  speech  is 
concluded,  a  covered  wagon  appears  floating  the  banner  "Fifty-four-forty  or  Fight" 
filled  with  young  men  of  the  county  starting  on  the  long  trip  of  the  "Oregon  Trail." 

EPISODE  VIII 

Developments 

Horologist — 

Years  pass  in  happy  contentment, 

Life  changes  with  peace  and  abundance, 

The  unfolding  and  conquering  of  nature 

Makes  broader  the  outlook  of  man. 

The  hands  of  yeomen,   progressive, 

Constructed  a  road  through  the  county, 

Oaken  planks  from  timber,  surrounding 

Laid  flat  on  the  native  wet  heath, 

Made  an  avenue,  constantly  streaming 

With  emigrants  bound  for  the  west. 

Who  found,  though  they  be  but  a  stranger, 

Kind  friends  at  each  "Hoosier  Nest." 

Shrill  screams  from  the  throat  of  the  engine 

As  it  flits  straight  on  in  its  course, 

Make  neighbor  to  neighbor  seem  nearer, — 

Minds  broader  by  contact  with  men — 

Give  rise  to  more  festive  occasions, 

Make  popular  the  Tri-County  Fair. 

Some  come  with  stately  new  trappings 

Family  tickets  and  money  to  spare; 

Some  come  in  creaky  old  wagons, 

Bring  clapboards  to  pay  for  their  fare; 

The  parents,  the  baskets,  the  children, 

The  neighbors,   grandparents,  and  friends, — - 

Full  packed  is  the  shiny  new  wagon 

And  a  long  day  of  pleasure  portends, 

The  elders  renewing  old  friendships, — 

The  children,  a  glad  happy  band, 

The  lovers  so  bashful  and  modest 

Stroll  lovingly  hand  in  hand. 

Opening  with  arrival  of  many  people.  Several  carriages  and  cabs  arrive  filled 
with  men  and  women  fashionably  dressed  in  period  costumes  of  1860. 

A  very  old  delapidated  wagon  arrives  containing  the  father  and  mother  and 
numerous  children  with  a  large  number  of  clap  boards  and  some  hay  tied  on  the  wagon. 
Other  good  farm  and  spring  wagons  well  filled  with  baskets  and  people  arrive.  Others 
come  on  foot  and  on  horses.  General  scene  of  a  fair,  gay  with  balloons,  venders, 
children  and  lovers. 

EPISODE    IX 

The  Civil  War 

Horologist — ■ 

Not  for  long  will  these  happy  occasions 
Be  enjoyed  by  a  peaceable  people, 


Centennial     Book 

Not  for  long  will  the  Star  Spangled   Banner 
Wave  peace  from  each  turret  and  tower. 
The  bartering  of  souls  into  slavery 
Brought  misery,  dissensions  and  strife, 
Low  rumblings  of  discord  grew  louder 
Strong  threats  of  secession  were  rife. 
The  stalwart  sons  of  the  county 
Come  forth  in  willing  might, 
At  the  call  of  President  Lincoln, 
To  fight  for  freedom  and  right. 
Severing  ties  of  home  and  of  kindred — 
March  away  to  rythmic  beat, 
To  the  cause  gave  freely  their  life  blood. 
Not  counting  the  cost  of  the  giving. 

A  recruiting  officer  arrives  and  calls  for  volunteers  and  enlistment  of  local  men. 
Many  volunteer  and  a  company  is  formed  and  drilled  and  marches  away  under  Colonel 
James  McManomy. 

The  soldiers  break  formation  and  take  farewell  of  their  friends  and  families.  At 
command  they  immediately  drop  back  into  rank  and  march  off  the  scene.  The  women 
and  chlidren  wave  flags  and  handkerchiefs,  and  in  tears  and  sadness  slowly  follow 
the  line  of  march. 

In  the  opposite  direction  is  seen  the  return  of  the  veterans.  To  the  strains  of  mar- 
tial music  the  remaining  veterans,  escorted  by  the  Boy  Scouts,  march  to  the  stage 
and  take  their  places  to  the  rear  of  the  tableau. 

In  the  center  of  the  stage  stand  two  shackled  negroes  flanked  by  a  soldier,  in 
blue  and  one  in  gray.  Immediately  upon  the  veterans  taking  their  position  Liberty 
enters,  breaks  the  shackles  and  the  Blue  and  Gray  are  again  united. 

EPISODE    X 

Noted   Sons 

Horologist — 

In  contentment  again  dwell  the  people, 

The  havoc  of  war  is  forgotten, 

Time  heals.     The  two  sections  united — 

United  and  thriving  as  one. 

The  problems  of  progress  and  achievement 

Require  cultured  minds  and   skill, 

Sons  of  our  county  high  in  the  nation 

Are  accorded  proud  welcome  at  home, 

Greeted  by  friends  and  old  neighbors 

With  cheers  and  sweet  faces  of  maidens, 

Comes,  of  all  sons  the  most  gifted, 

To  the  home  of  his  childhood,  comes  Voorhees 

Trained  in  mind  and  in  state  craft, 

High  in  the  councils  of  his  nation, 

Great  in  his  power  of  persuasion, 

Masterful,   eloquent,   magnificent 

Comes  he,  to  the  county  that  reared  him, 

On  the  banks  of  the  loveliest  of  rivers, 

Tall  as  the  sycamores  that  grow  there — 

"The  tall  Sycamore  of  the  Wabash." 

A  grand  rally  led  by  a  cab  carrying  the  Honorable  Daniel  W.  Voorhees  and  other 
noted  citizens,  followed  by  floats,  chariots,  horseback  riders,  marchers  with  banners 
and  many  others  arrive.  Voorhees  alights  and  greets  many,  many  old  friends  and 
neighbors  while  the  crowd  assembles.  He  is  introduced  and  makes  a  short  speech  on 
problems  of  the  hour  to  the  crowd  and  is  lustily  cheered  by  his  audience. 

EPISODE    XI 

Prosperity  and   Revelry 

Horologist — 

In  revelry  the  youth  of  our  county 
Are  spending  the  glad,  happy  years 
For  decades  of  peace  and  prosperity, 


Fountain    County 

Have  driven  away  morbid  fears. 

As  the  springtime  of  life  and  of  nature 

Overflows  with  gladness  and  jong, 

So  the  minds  and  hearts  of  our  maidens 

In  ecstasy,  merrily  dance  on. 

Many  girls  appear  and  engage  in  an  orgy  of  dancing  introducing  several  numbers 
of  special  dancing. 

In  the  very  height  of  their  revelry  the  "Call  to  Arms"  peals  out  and  the  revelers 
stop  instantly  and  hold  their  positions,  while  the  Horologist  speaks  then  in  sorrow  and 
bowed  heads  move  slowly  to  the  rear. 

EPISODE   XII 

The  World  War 

Horologist — 

Again  grim  fate  intervening, 
Disturbs  a  peace  loving  people, 
Aghast  at  the  horrors,  the  sufferings, 
And  brutal  the  deeds  committed, 
The  lust  of  militant  nations 
For  supremacy,  conquest  and  greed, 
Threatened  all  human  existence, 
Unleashed  the  fierce  'Gods  of  War." 
The  hate  for  tyrant  suppression, 
The  love  of  freedom  inherent, 
In  the  veins  of  noble  young  manhood, 
Again  leads  them  far  to  the  front. 
Through  shattering  roar  of  the  cannon, 
Through  stifling  gas  and  the  bomb. 
By  the  blood  of  many  brave  heroes, 
Was  peace  for  all  nations  won. 
In  memory  of  our  boys  that  have  fallen 
Floats  the  flag  with  its  "Stars  of  Gold." 
Rewritten  in  blood  is  the  promise 
"Peace  and  good  will  to  all  men." 

The  boom  of  the  cannon  is  heard.  The  roar  of  the  battle  grows  louder  and  nearer. 
Through  the  barrage  of  shot  and  shell  the  soldiers,  fighting  desperately,  go  over  the 
top  to  final  victory  and  peace. 

The  band  plays  the  funeral  dirge  and  thirty-six  soldiers  in  uniform  march  in  re- 
view each  carrying  a  pt~nant  upon  which  is  one  Gold  Star  in  memory  of  the  thirty- 
six  Gold  Star  boys  of  the  county.  They  march  to  the  rear  of  the  field  where  the  Salute 
and  Taps  are  sounded  in  honor  of  our  soldiers  dead. 


BENEDICTION 
1926 — Future 
A  flare  of  trumpets.     The  Herald  again  appears  and  speaks: 

Herald — 

The  march  of  a  century  is  finished. 
Before  you,  like  pictures,  have  lingered 
The  lives,  the  ideals,  the  achievements 
Of  ancestors  whose  life  work  is  done. 
To  us,  from  them,  has  descended 
A  heritage  of  progress,  eternal, 
Full  treasured  and  passed  at  the  ending 
To  the  care  of  the  children  to  come, 
A  land  of  brave  sons  and  fair  daughters, 
The  bravest  and  fairest  e'er  known, 
Who  guard  with  vigilance,  unceasing 
The  name  of  their  County,  and  homes. 
May  their  lives  be  as  pure  and  as  holy, 
May  their  faith  be  as  strong  and  abiding, 
May  their  mantle  of  peace  as  enduring 


Centennial     Book 


As  the  waters  that  ripple  the  shore. 
May  the  name  and  tame  of  our  County 
Withstand  every  onslaught  and  crash. 
May  its  record  be  as  clean  and  as  noted 
As  the  name  ct'  the  famous  Wabash. 
May  the  choicest  of  bletsings  from  heaven, 
Descend,  as  the  shower  and  the  mist, 
On  our  County,  on  its  children  for  ages. 
And  enshroud  them  in  peace  and  in  bliss. 


FINALE 

The  Symbolic  Queens  of  Peace,  America  and  Indiana 
followed  by  the  Centennial  Queen  and  her  attendants 
representing  the  townships  respectively,  move  to  the 
front  in  their  chariots,  attended  by  pages  in  costume. 
Meanwhile  the  entire  cast  appears  from  all  parts  of 
the  field  and  group  themselves  in  one  mammoth  en- 
semble and  kneel  in  salutation  to  the  passing 
Queens  while  the  band  bursts  forth  the  strains  of  the 
National  air. 


The    Public   Square   in   Covington   before  the   Civil    War.      Note    the   saplings    in    the 
Courtyard,    that    are    now    fine    forest    trees. 


Fountain    County 


EDWARD   A.    HANNEGAN 

United    States   Senator  and    Minister   to    Prussia.      Established    a    law 

office   in    Covington   in    1831.     Prominent   in   the    controversy 

over  the  Oregon  boundary. 


Home   of  Edward  A.   Hannegan  famed   for  his   slogan,   "Fifty-four 
Forty  or  Fight!" 


Centennial     Book 


TodNTAI*/     Co»«1 
SHWrxC     T.nST      TowVS 


Fountain     County 


A  BRIEF  HISTORY  OF  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 

By  Clarence  W.  Nelson 


THE  territory  from  which  Fountain 
County  was  afterwards  formed  was 
originally  ceded  to  the  United  States 
hy  the  Treaty  of  St.  Mary's  in  Ohio,  negoti- 
ated by  Jonathan  Jennings,  Lewis  Cass  and 
Benjamin  Parke,  commissioners  for  the 
United  States,  and  the  sachems,  chiefs  and 
warriors  of  the  Potawatamie  Nation  of  In- 
dians, on  October  2,  1818,  and  with  the 
Miamis  on  October  6  of  the  same  year.  By 
the  terms  of  these  two  treaties  two  Indian 
reservations  were  provided  for,  portions  of 
each  of  which  lie  in  the  present  boundaries 
of  the  County,  and  these  reservations  were 
the  first  lands  surveyed,  this  being  done 
prior  to  the  general  government  sectional 
surveys.  A  portion  of  the  Burnett  Reser- 
vation at  the  mouth  of  Flint  Creek  is  in  the 
extreme  northeast  portion  of  the  county, 
and  a  portion  of  the  section  of  land  at 
Shawnee  Village  set  aside  for  Paul  Long- 
lois'  youngest  child  is  about  three  and  one- 
half  miles  northeast  of  Newtown.  The 
beneficiaries  of  these  grants  were  children 
of  white  traders  and  their  Ind'an  wives. 
The  Indians  were  rapidly  displaced  by  the 
settlers,  and  were  finally  removed  under 
charge  of  Col.  Pepper  and  General  Tipton 
from  the  Wabash  settlements  in  the  sum- 
mer of  1838.  Following  the  organization  of 
Indiana  Territory  government  surveys  were 
made,  the  state  was  admitted  to  the  Union 
by  act  of  Congress  of  April  19,  1816,  set- 
tlers flocked  in,  one  stream  coming  from 
the  south  up  the  Wabash  River  and  its 
tributaries,  and  the  other  from  the  east 
following  the  early  roads  or  traces,  and 
Indian  trails.  Wabash  County  originally  in- 
cluded this  part  of  the  state,  separate  coun- 
ties being  formed  from  it  as  rapidly  as  set- 
tlement was  made.  The  land  office  was 
opened  at  Terre  Haute,  and  in  1823  Mont- 
gomery County  was  organized,  Crawfords- 
ville  laid  out,  and  an  additional  land  office 
opened  there.  Montgomery  County  as 
originally  formed  included  the  east  side  of 
Fountain  County.  Settlers  had  already  be- 
gun to  come  into  the  county  in  addition  to 
the  tradeis,  trappers  and  hunters,  the  first 
actual  settler  being  generally  conceded  to 
have  been  Peter  Weaver,  who  is  said  to 
have  lived  in  the  county  in  the  winter  of 
1822-1823  on  a  part  of  the  Burnett  Indian 
Reservation.  The  first  actual  entry  of  land 
of  which  we  find  a  record  in  the  county 
was  the  north  fraction  of  the  northwest 
quarter  of  section  22,  township  18  north, 
range  9  west,  on  the  Wabash  River  a  short 
distance  above  the  Parke  County  line, 
which  was  entered  by  Eber  Jenne  at  the 
Terre  Haute  land  office  August  4,  1821. 
Scattered  entries  were  made  in  various 
parts  of  the  county  in  1822,  the   men  mak- 


ing the  locations  returning  home  for  the 
winter  and  returning  with  their  families 
in  the  spring  of  1823.  A  constant  stream 
of  immigration  then  began,  the  early  set- 
tlers locating  mostly  along  the  river,  the 
larger  creeks  and  the  edges  of  the  dryer 
prairies,  these  localities  offering  better 
drainage,  proximity  to  water,  fish  and  game, 
with  plenty  of  good  timber  and  fertile  bot- 
tom lands.  What  is  now  some  of  the  best 
land  in  the  county  was  of  no  value  then, 
being  wet  prairie,  or  flat  wet  woods,  in- 
fested with  ague  and  milk  sick,  and  being 
passed  by  until  improved  methods  of  drain- 
age, and  the  removal  of  the  virgin  forest 
made  it  fit  for  cultivation.  The  early  set- 
tlers of  the  county  came  in  two  distinct 
groups,  the  one  from  Kentucky,  Virginia 
and  the  Carolinas,  and  the  others  from 
Ohio,  Pennsylvania  and  the  eastern  states. 
Many  had  fought  in  the  war  of  1812  and 
the  early  Indian  wars  and  were  familiar 
with  the  beautiful  Wabash  Valley,  and  used 
the  land  warrants  issued  to  them  by  the 
Government  as  bounty  and  service  pay,  for 
the  purpose  of  entering  lands  for  their  fu- 
ture homes. 

The  early  settlement  was  made  largely 
by  groups  of  families  and  relatives  and 
friends  from  the  same  communities  who 
settled  on  adjoining  tracts  of  land  and  es- 
tablished neighborhoods  known  to  this  day 
by  the  family  name  or  the  localities  from 
which  they  came.  One  of  the  most  inter- 
esting settlements  was  that  of  the  Coal 
Creek  Community  and  Church  of  God,  a 
semi-religious  organization  formed  by  citi- 
zens of  Warren  County,  Ohio,  who  were  fol- 
lowers of  George  Rapp  and  wished  to  es- 
tablish a  community  similar  to  that  then 
in  operation  at  Harmony,  Indiana.  The  or- 
ganization included  the  families  of  Jona- 
than Crane,  Isaac  Romine,  Oliver  Osborn. 
Enoch  Bowling,  Mathias  Dean,  William 
Ludlow,  and  possibly  some  others.  About 
twelve  hundred  acres  of  land  were  entered 
near  Stone  Bluff  and  the  colony  established 
probably  in  the  year  1824.  Improvements 
were  made,  a  mill  erected,  orchards  planted, 
land  cleared,  and  the  enterprise  carried  on 
in  a  co-operative  manner,  the  labor  and 
profits  being  shared  by  all  the  members. 
The  shares  of  the  other  members  were  ae- 
quo ed  later  on  by  Jonathan  Crane  and 
Oliver  Osborn,  the  communistic  experiment 
having  lasted  about  ten  years.  A  similar 
colony  was  started  in  the  same  neighbor- 
hood known  as  The  First  Community  of 
Mans'  Free  Brotherhood,  afterwards  being 
removed  to  Warren  County. 

Clearings  were  made,  cabins  built,  mills 
constructed,  trails  made,  and  the  usual  pio- 
neer    communities     established,     and     the 


CENTENNIAL       BOOK 


population     being     deemed     sufficient,     the 
Indiana    general    Assembly    by    an    Act    ap- 
proved   December   30,    1S25,   formed    a    new 
county   out   of   the    then    Counties    of    Mont- 
gomery   and    Wabash,    naming    it    Fountain 
County,     after     Major     Fountain,     a     Ken- 
tuckian,  a  hero  of  one   of  the  early   Indian 
wars.      Lucius    H.    Scott,    Daniel    C.    Hults 
and  Daniel  Sigler,  commissioners  appointed 
by   the   Legislature    to   establish   a   seat   of 
justice  for  the  new  county,  met  at  the  home 
of    William    White,    on    Coal    Creek,    where 
it   is  probable  the  first  mill  in  the  county 
was   built,    the    premises    now   being   owned 
by    Ed    S.    Gray.      They    selected    the    high 
bluff  on  the  east  side  of  the  River  at  Port- 
land,   but    on    account    of    technicalities    in 
the   entry   of  the   land,   this   site   was   aban- 
doned, and  the  county  seat  located  at  Cov- 
ington.    Attica  was  the  first  town  laid   off 
in  the  county  it  being  platted  prior  to  the 
separate    organization     of    the     county,    on 
March  19,  1825,  by  Daniel  Stump.     Its  loca- 
tion   was    such    however,    that    it    was    not 
considered    available    for    the    county    seat. 
The    land    on    which    the    original    town    of 
Covington  was  laid  off  was  owned  by  Isaac 
Colman,  a   prominent  politician   and   specu- 
lator   of    the    Wabash    country,    originally 
from    Virginia,   and   afterwards    locating   at 
Attica,    and    by    David    Vance,     Sheriff    of 
Montgomery     County,     and     John     Wilson, 
Clerk  of  the  Court  of  that  County.  Generous 
donations    were    made    by    the    proprietors 
for  the  purpose  of  inducing  the  location  of 
the    county    seat,    and    it    is    probable    that 
Covington  was  actually  laid  off   in   1826,  as 
there  are  numerous  references  to  it,  in  the 
records   of   that   year,   although    the    official 
plat   was    not    dated    until    September   first, 
1828.      Following    the    organization    of    the 
county    an    era    of    speculation    broke    out, 
towns   being    laid    out    all   over   the    county, 
many  of  which   are   now   forgotten.      Along 
the    river    were    Maysville,    Attica,    James- 
town,    Portland,    Covington.    Sarah,    Vicks- 
burg,  Homer,  and  Coal  Land.     Up  and  down 
a  line  near  the  center  from  north  to  south 
were    Rob    Roy,    Chambersburg,    Newburg, 
Merrysville,  and   later   on   Harveysburg  and 
Steam    Corner.      In    the    east    part    of    the 
County     were     Newtown,,    Hillsboro,     Van 
Buren,   Winchester,    Millville,   and    Jackson- 
ville. The  construction  of  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road brought  Fountain  City  and  later  River- 
side  into   existence,   the   Indiana,   Blooming- 
ton,  and  Western  R.  R.  encouraged  the  loca- 
tion  of    Sterling   and   Rynear,   the    old    Coal 
Road,  Stone  Bluff,  Aylesworth,  Veedersburg, 
Yeddo,  Kingman  and  Fountainville,  and  the 
Clover   Leaf    Route,    Mellott,    Stephens    Sta- 
tion,    Cates     and     Silverwood.       The     Coal 
mines   south  of  Covington  built  up  a   thriv- 
ing community  which  has  since  faded  away 
into  what  is  now  known  as  Stringtown. 

The  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  played  an 
important  part  in  the  development  of  the 
County,  being  completed  to  Covington  in 
1846,    and    furnishing    a    more    stable    and 


satisfactory  route  of  commerce  and  a  more 
convenient"  means  of  transportation  than 
the  Wabash  River  or  the  almost  impassable 
roads,  11  was  built  largely  by  Irish  immi- 
grant labor,  (many  of  whom  settled  in  the 
county,  and  furnished  an  important  part 
of  the*  present  population).  The  canal  was 
abandoned  in  1872,  having  been  superseded 
in  usefulness  by  the  railroads  then  built 
and  in  process  of  construction.  The  Wa- 
bash Railroad  was  built  through  the  county 
in  1856,  what  is  now  known  as  the  Big 
Four  was  completed  in  the  autumn  of  1870, 
the  Indiana  North  and  South  known  as  the 
Coal  Road  and  now  as  the  Chicago,  Attica 
and  Southern  was  completed  through  the 
county  in  1882.  The  Toledo,  St.  Louis  and 
Western,  now  a  part  of  the  Nickle  Plate 
System  was  completed  in  the  later  eighties, 
and  in  addition  a  branch  road  was  formerly 
run  to  the  Coal  mines  south  of  Covington, 
which  was  dismantled  after  the  riots  at  the 
mines  in  the  year  1878,  and  a  branch  of 
the  Wabash  gives  intermittent  service 
from  Attica  to  Covington. 

The  population  of  Fountain  County  as 
given  by  the  last  official  census  was  18,225. 
This  population  is  mostly  made  up  of  de- 
scendants of  the  original  settlers.  This  be- 
ing largely  an  agricultural  county,  the 
population  has  been  constant,  and  there 
has  not  been  the  shifting  transient  class 
of  people  that  follow  manufacturing  enter- 
prises A  large  number  of  Irish  located  in 
the  county  at  the  time  of  the  building  of 
the  canal,  and  the  great  German  immigra- 
tion contributed  its  share  to  the  basic  stock. 
Later  immigration  has  been  of  little  effect, 
with  the  exception  of  a  number  of  Holland 
Dutch  that  have  located  near  Attica,  and  a 
scattering  of  Welch,  Cornishmen,  and  Eng- 
lish that  came  to  the  county  to  work  in  the 
coal  mines  when  they  were  of  importance. 
Following  the  using  up  of  the  native  timber, 
and  the  decline  in  the  local  mining  indus- 
try but  few  factories  were  to  be  found  in 
the'  county.  The  growth  of  the  gravel  in- 
dustry, demand  for  brick,  and  the  location 
of  an  important  steel  plant  at  Attica,  have 
been  important  commercial  developments 
of  the  last  few  years,  and  the  canning  in- 
dustry is  becoming  more  important  with 
each  year.  The  county  is  mostly  interested 
in  agriculture  however,  being  noted  for  its 
fertile  farms,  its  up  to  date  farmers,  and 
the  diversity  of  its  agricultural  develop- 
ments. It  is  considered  and  classed  and 
has  a  statewide  reputation  as  one  of  the 
best  farming  counties  of  the  State,  and  the 
majority  of  the  people  look  to  the  farms 
either  directly  or  indirectly  for  their  liveli- 
hood. „    .    _ 

The  first  court  house,  a  small  frame 
building  was  built  in  1827  on  land  now  oc- 
cupied by  the  Standard  Oil  Filling  Station. 
This  was  succeeded  by  a  brick  building  in 
the  center  of  the  public  square  completed 
in  1833.  Additions  were  made  to  it,  and 
it  sufficed  until  1856,  when  the  contract  for 


Fountain     County 


GENERAL    LEW   WALLACE 


Born   1827   at   Brookville.      Spent    his   boyhood   in    Covington. 

Opened  his  law  office  in  Covington  and  there  wrote 

"The   Fair   God." 


Centennial     Book 


the  present  building  was  let.  This  build- 
ing was  completed  in  the  fall  of  1859,  at  a 
cost  of  about  $36,500.00,  and  was  badly  dam- 
aged by  fire  on  January  1,  1860,  being  re- 
paired, and  finally  completed  in  January, 
1S61,  at  an  additional  cost  of  $18,124.05. 

The  first  jail  was  a  log  structure  located 
on  the  northeast  corner  of  the  public 
square.  In  1S38  a  new  jail  was  built  on  the 
present  grounds  which  was  used  until  1851, 
when  a  stone  building  was  erected,  suc- 
ceeded  in    1873  by   the   present   building. 

The  first  county  farm  was  located  about 
two  miles  northeast  of  Covington,  the  first 
poor  house  being  located  thereon  in  1837. 
The  present  county  farm  was  purchased  in 
1863,  and  has  been  gradually  improved  un- 
til it  is  in  excellent  condition,  the  buildings 
commodious  and  sanitary,  and  the  farm 
well  equipped. 

All  early  school  buildings  were  of  logs, 
with  practically  no  comforts  or  equip- 
ment, and  with  such  instructors  as  could 
be  procured.  The  percentage  of  illiteracy 
was  high,  especially  among  the  women, 
who  received  less  education  as  a  rule  than 
the  men,  who  then  transacted  all  business 
matters.  At  the  present  time  the  various 
school  corporations  of  the  county  have  in- 
vested in  buildings  and  equipment  over  half 
a  million  dollars,  with  an  annual  outlay  for 
maintenance  and  teachers  of  over  Three 
Hundred   Thousand   Dollars. 

The  first  bridge  built  from  public  funds 
was  the  one  at  White's  mill  on  Coal  Creek, 
and  the  first  public  roads  were  rough  trails 
laid  out  from  Attica  to  Crawfordsville  and 
Lafayette,  and  from  Covington  to  Craw- 
fordsville, Terre  Haute  and  Lafayette,  all 
of  which  ran  across  the  county  the  shortest 
possible  course  to  their  destination.  These 
were  followed  by  privately  owned  ferries, 
toll  roads  and  toll  bridges,  which  were 
gradually  acquired  by  the  county,  and  at 
present  we  have  almost  thirty  miles  of  ce- 
ment road,  374  miles  of  improved  free 
gravel  road,  in  addition  to  the  regular 
township  roads,  all  of  which  have  substan- 
tial bridges  and  culverts,  and  with  five 
good  bridges  spanning  the  Wabash  River, 
the  finest  of  which  is  the  big  concrete 
structure  at  Attica  which  was  built  in  1922 
at  a  cost  of  about  $300,000.00. 

The  first  tax  collection  made  in  1826 
netted  the  county  the  sum  of  $79.93,  while 
the  current  year  of  1926,  provides  for  a  col- 
lection of  $738,697.23. 

The  first  court  was  held  at  the  house  of 
Robert  Hetfield  near  where  the  village  of 
Aylesworth  is  now  located,  on  July  14, 
1826,  and  lasted  one  day.  The  county  was 
then  a  part  of  the  first  Judicial  Circuit  of 
the  State,  presided  over  by  Judge  John  R. 
Porter,  the  term  of  court  lasting  only  a  few 
days,  the  judge  and  attorneys  riding  from 
county  to  county  in  the  administration  of 
the  frontier  justice.  Fountain  County  now 
comprises  its  own  judicial  circuit,  the  sixty- 


first,  and  court  is  held  for  thirty-six  weeks 
during  each  year. 

No  figures  are  available  for  the  assessed 
value  of  the  taxable  property  in  the  county 
the  first  few  years  of  its  organization,  as 
the  system  of  taxation  and  collection  was 
different  then  than  now.  The  first  regular 
tax  duplicates  were  prepared  for  the  year 
1843.  and  show  a  total  valuation  of  taxables 
of  about  $1,700,000.00.  The  ones  for  1925, 
on  which  the  taxes  payable  in  1926  were 
computed  show  a  total  valuation  of  tax- 
ables of  $29,366,370.00. 

Early  church  meetings  of  the  county 
were  as  a  rule  conducted  at  private  dwell- 
ings in  the  country  and  at  public  buildings 
in  the  towns.  Circuit  riders  and  neighbor- 
hood preachers  conducted  the  services. 
Gradually  ground  was  donated,  buildings 
erected  by  the  various  denominations,  un- 
til the  religious  needs  of  the  county  are 
well  supplied. 

The  early  transportation  of  the  county 
was  furnished  by  steamboats,  flat  boats 
and  skiffs  on  the  Wabash  River,  and  was 
uncertain  and  extremely  unsatisfactory.  In 
1S46  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  was  com- 
pleted to  Covington,  and  served  a  useful 
purpose  until  its  abandonment,  being  a 
great  factor  in  the  development  of  the 
county. 

Banking  facilities  were  extremely  meagre 
in  the  early  day,  currency  being  almost 
non-existent,  and  trade  being  carried  on  by 
barter  and  the  exchange  of  commodities, 
whiskey  being  a  staple  medium  of  ex- 
change. That  banking  business  which  was 
imperative  was  conducted  through  the 
branches  of  the  State  Bank  of  Indiana  dur- 
ing its  existence.  Local  monetary  needs 
were  supplied  by  those  residents  in  each 
community  who  had  a  supply  of  money, 
and  made  a  business  of  loaning  it  at  the 
high  rates  of  interest  then  prevalent.  The 
first  chartered  bank  in  the  county  was  the 
Bank  of  Attica  organized  in  1854,  which 
failed  a  short  time  thereafter.  Private  busi- 
ness firms  conducted  a  deposit  and  money 
lending  business,  one  of  the  oldest  being 
that  of  James  G.  Hardy  established  at  Cov- 
ington in  the  fifties,  the  business  now  con- 
ducted by  the  Citizens  Bank  of  Covington, 
being  the  successor,  and  the  oldest  banking 
institution  in  the  county.  The  First  Na- 
tional Bank  at  Attica  was  established  in 
1864,  but  afterwards  surrendered  its 
charter.  At  present  the  needs  of  the  coun- 
ty are  well  supplied  with  a  strong  and 
competent  group  of  banks  and  bankers  cov- 
ering the  entire  county.  The  first  news- 
paper of  the  county  was  established  in 
1836  being  known  as  the  "Western  Con- 
stellation." This  paper  has  been  practi- 
cally continuous  under  different  owner- 
ship and  with  some  changes  of  name,  to 
the  present  day,  being  conducted  at  the 
present  time  under  the  name  of  the  Cov- 
ington   Friend,    owned    and    published    by 


Fountain     County 


John  B.  Schwin  and  George  P.  Schwin.  In 
comparison  with  the  old  papers,  set  with 
primitive  type  and  laboriously  struck  off  on 
the  old  hand  presses,  the  county  now 
boasts  as  fine  a  group  of  newspapers  as  can 
be  found,  modern  in  equipment,  typograph- 
ically correct,  and   ably  edited. 

Fountain  county  has  always  borne  her 
part  in  the  various  wars  of  the  Nation.  A 
company  was  formed  for  the  Mexican  War 
which  saw  gallant  service,  all  of  whom 
have  answered  the  last  roll  call.  In  the 
Civil  War  the  county  gave  generously  of 
both  men  and  money.  The  actual  number 
of  men  who  saw  service  is  not  available, 
but  the  county  was  represented  in  the  vari- 
ous regiments  of  infantry,  calvary  and  ar- 
tillery of  the  State,  the  greater  number  see- 
ing service  in  the  gallant  Sixty-third  Regi- 
ment which  played  an  important  part  in  the 
war  of  the  rebellion.  Bounty  money  to  the 
amount  of  $387,000.00  was  furnished  by  the 
county  in  addition  to  its  other  financial 
contributions  and  taxes.  In  the  Spanish 
American  War,  most  of  the  Fountain  county 
men  went  as  members  of  Company  "G"  of 
the  One  Hundred  Fifty-eighth  Regiment  of 
Indiana.  In  the  World  War  almost  800  of 
Fountain  county's  finest  boys  went  into  the 
service,  and  millions  of  dollars  were  spent 
in  Liberty  Loans,  taxes,  and  donations  to 
the  various  war  activities. 

Fountain  county  has  produced  its  share 
of  men  who  have  had  a  part  in  the  wider 
activities  of  the  State  and  Nation.  The 
history  of  these  men  is  left  to  the  various 
township  historians,  as  is  also  left  to  them 
to  delineate  the  minor  historical  events  of 
the  county.  I  will  simply  mention  the  fol- 
lowing as  among  the  more  prominent: 
Edward  A.  Hannegan,  United  States  Sena- 
tor and  Minister  to  Prussia;  Daniel  W. 
Voorhees,  United  States  Senator;  Joseph 
E.  McDonald,  United  States  Senator;  Lewis 
Wallace,  Soldier  and  Author;  Francis  M. 
Dice,  Clerk  of  the  Indiana  Supreme  Court; 
Enos  H.  Nebeker,  United  States  Treasurer; 
James  W.  King,  State  Treasurer  of  Indi- 
ana; Joseph  Ristine,  State  Auditor  of  Indi- 
ana; James  McMannomy,  soldier  and  an 
organizer  of  the  original  National  Horse 
Thief  Detective  Association;  James  Bing- 
ham, Attorney  General  of  Indiana;  George 
Ingham,  nationally  known  lawyer;  Joseph 
M.  Rabb,  Judge  of  the  Indiana  Appellate 
Court;  Eugene  F.  Savage,  well  known 
artist;  Charles  Henderson,  preacher  and 
educator,  and  Charles  L.  Miller,  now  candi- 
date for  the  office  of  State  Superintendent 
of   Public  Instruction. 

The  purpose  of  this  brief  sketch  is  to 
follow  in  a  general  way  the  history  and 
development  of  the  county,  compare  its 
first  development  with  the  present,  and  to 
impress  upon  the  reader  the  wonderful 
changes  that  have  occurred  during  the  past 
century  which  has  seen  a  trackless  wilder- 
ness changed  into  a  highly  developed  com- 


munity by  the  labors  and  exertions  oui 
forefathers,  whom  we  honor  for  their  en 
deavors  and  for  their  achievements. 


THE  COVINGTON  OF  1926 

By    Mrs.    Simeon    Lambright 

TO  the  traveler  on  the  Dixie  Highway, 
whether  he  goes  east  or  west,  the 
City  of  Covington,  the  County  Seat  of 
Fountain  County,  makes  instant  appeal. 
The  well  paved  streets,  the  beautiful  trees, 
which  arch  them,  bringing  admiration  and 
comfort  to  the  beholder,  meet  the  ap- 
proval of  all;  while  the  scenic  Wabash  is 
ever  a  delight  to  the  eye. 

While  not  primarily  a  manufacturing 
town,  there  are  many  wide  awake  business 
enterprises,  among  which  are  a  grain  ele- 
vator, a  saw  mill  and  a  canning  factory. 
The  Public  Square  and  adjacent  streets  are 
lined  with  grocery  stores,  meat  markets, 
dry  goods  and  department  stores  and  busi- 
ness houses  of  all  kinds,  making  Coving- 
ton a  trading  center  for  a  large  adjacent 
territory. 

Two  banks  and  a  Trust  Company  take 
care  of  the  banking  business  of  this  part 
of  the  County.  Everywhere  are  fertile 
farms  and  dairy  and  agricultural  enter- 
prises abound.  Covington's  fame  as  a 
fruit-growing  center  is  spreading  rapidly. 
Berries  and  small  fruits  of  all  kinds,  lusci- 
ous melons,  as  well  as  orchard  fruits  have 
a  wide  popularity  and  merit  the  great  de- 
mand which  these  products  supply. 

There  are  excellent  churches  and  fine 
schools.  Troy  township  and  the  city 
schools  are  consolidated  and  rank  with  the 
best,  conforming  to  the  highest  standards 
of  the  State. 

Two  newspapers,  thoroughly  alive,  are 
published  weekly.  A  beautiful  public  li- 
brary, an  architectural  gem,  is  quite  ade- 
quate to  the  reading  needs  of  our  citizens. 

Covington  has  all  the  advantages  of  a 
city,  with  electricity  for  every  purpose  and 
an  abundant  supply  of  pure  water,  which 
also  affords   ample   fire   protection. 

As  a  place  of  residence,  Covington  is 
ideal,  as  is  evidenced  by  the  large  number 
of  families  who  live  here  and  are  employed 
in  the  gravel  plants  and  also  in  Danville. 
The  large  number  of  beautiful  and  modern 
residences  and  a  steady  increase  in  build- 
ing mark  Covington  as  a  city  of  homes. 

The  Big  Four  R.  R.  and  a  branch  of  the 
Wabash  afford  transportation  facilities 
which  are  supplemented  by  buses  and 
trucks. 

Many  fraternal  organizations  and  literary 
and  social  clubs  provide  ample  recreation 
and  social  life  for  the  residents  of  the 
beautiful  Covington   of  1926. 


Cen T  R  N  N  I  A 


Book 


*■■  ■" 


'^&~7 


DANIEL    W.    VOORHEES 

'The  Tall  Sycamore  of  the  Wabash."     Born  1827— died  1897. 
United  States  Senator.     Resided  in  Van  Buren  Town- 
ship.     Practiced   law   in    Covington. 


Fountain      County 

VAN  BUREN  TOWNSHIP 

Mrs.  H.  H.  Glascock 


ORIGINALLY,  Van  Buren  Township 
was  a  part  of  Cain,  Shawnee,  Rich- 
land, and  Troy  Townships,  but  in 
18-11,  through  the  efforts  oi'  John  G.  Lucas, 
Dr.  Isaac  Spinning,  an  1  Daniel  Glascock, 
the  township  was  organize:!  and  named 
for  President  Van  Buren,  much  against  the 
wishes   of  many   of   the   eld    line   Whigs. 

The  first  settlement  in  this  township, 
also  said  to  be  the  first  in  the  county,  was 
made  in  February  1S23,  by  three  families: 
Jonathan  Birch,  John  Colvert,  and  William 
Cochran.  In  1822  they  came  and  purchased 
land,  then  cut  out  a  road,  connecting  with 
the  old  Terre  Haute  road,  and  made  prep- 
arations to  erect  houses.  Birch  is  said  to 
have  built  the  first  cabin  in  the  county,  a 
half  mile  west  of  Stone  Bluff.  Colvert  built 
the  second,  on  what  is  now  State  Road  10, 
near  the  well  known  Colvert  hill.  Cochran 
located  one  mile  southeast  of  Veedersburg, 
and  improved  the  land  around  what  is  now 
the  junction  of  State  Road  No.  10,  and  the 
Dixie  Highway.  These  three  families 
formed  the  first  neighborhood  in  the  town- 
ship. 

The  second  company  of  settlers  came  the 
latter  part  of  the  year  1823,  and  located  on 
Osborn's  Prairie,  west  of  Coal  Creek.  This 
settlement,  like  the  first,  was  a  company 
formed  for  mutual  assistance.  Gen.  Jesse 
Osborn  was  the  leader.  He  and  his  com- 
pany cut  a  road  through  the  forest  from 
Crawfordsville,  and  were  in  the  wilderness 
for  some  time,  thinking  that  they  were 
the  first  and  only  white  settlers  for  miles 
around,  till  one  day  they  heard  the  sound 
of  an  ax  and  maul,  from  the  east.  These 
two  companies  of  settlers  met  for  the  first 
time  on  the  banks  of   Coal  Creek. 

These  early  settlers  came  principally 
from  Ohio,  Maryland,  Virginia  and  Dela- 
ware. 

The  first  road  in  the  township  was  laid 
out  by  William  Cochran,  and  was  a  trail 
blazed  through  the  forest  from  what  is  now 
Veedersburg  to  Covington,  for  a  merchant 
who  was  transporting  goods  across  the 
country  from  Cincinnati  to  Covington. 

The  first  mill  in  the  township  was  built 
in  1824,  on  the  south  branch  of  Coal  Creek, 
by  John  Course.  He  told  his  neighbors  if 
they  would  donate  their  services  in  build- 
ing this  dam  and  mill,  they  should  have 
their  grist  ground  without  regard  to  who 
was  before  them,  and  the  man  who  did  the 
most  work  on  the  mill  without  pay  was  to 
have  the  first  flour  made  by  the  mill.  This 
prize  went  to  Joseph  Glascock,  who  was  a 
leader  among  his  fellow-men  at  a  very  early 
period  in  the  county.  No  man  did  more, 
perhaps,  to  develop  the  resources  of  the 
county   and    to   cultivate   a   law-abiding   and 


peaceable  spirit  in  its  people,  than   he. 

The  first  religious  service  in  the  town- 
ship was  held  at  the  camp  of  William 
Cochran  .before  he  had  his  cabin  completed. 
This  service  was  attended  by  the  Cochrans, 
Colverts,  and  Birches,  and  was  conducted 
by  William  Crovins,  a  Methodist  Minister, 
in  1824.  In  1824,  the  first  society  was 
organized  with  eight  members.  The  first 
pastors  were  Cord  Emmet,  Rev.  Biggs,  and 
Elder  Strange 

The  first  school  house  was  built  near 
Coal  Creek  in  1825.  Among  the  first  teach- 
ers were,  Dr.  Moses  Fowler,  Wm.  Keeling, 
John  Jack,  Jacob  Furr,  and   Sanford   Cox. 

The  first  dry  goods  were  sold  in  the 
township  by  John  Walker.  He  was  suc- 
ceeded by  Joseph  G.  Lucas,  in  1825,  who 
carried  on  the  mercantile  business  until 
1870. 

Isaac  Spinning  of  Van  Buren  Township 
cast  the   first  vote   in  the   county. 

The  first  death  in  the  township  was 
Erasmos  Greenley,  in  1824.  He  is  buried 
on  the  farm  now  owned  by  Edward  Green- 
ley,  a  great-nephew. 

The  first  post-office  was  located  on  the 
Covington  and  Crawfordsville  road,  south 
of  Veedersburg,  and  the  postmaster  was 
Jacob   Strajer- 

The  first  township  officers  were:  Hara 
Applegate,  John  Wertz,  and  Judge  Joseph 
Coats,  trustees;  J.  G.  Lucas,  Treasurer; 
Jacob    Turner,    Esq. 

At  first  the  people  were  forced  to  market 
their  produce  and  purchase  most  of  their 
goods  elsewhere.  The  great  trading  points 
were  Cincinnati  and  Louisville.  It  con- 
sumed four-fifths  of  the  price  of  a  load  of 
pork  to  market  it.  A  barrel  of  flour  brought 
on  the  market  at  New  Orleans,  just  as 
many  silver  dollars  as  it  took  to  cover  the 
head   of   the  barrel. 

The  only  person  born  in  Van  Buren  who 
ever  attained  national  prominence  was 
Daniel  W.  Voorhees.  He  served  a  number 
of  years  in  the  U.  S.  Senate,  and  was  a 
member  of  the  Senate  committee  that 
fought  for  the  appropriation  of  national 
funds  to  build  the  Congressional  Library 
Building  in  Washington,  D.  C,  which  was 
built  at  a  cost  of  $6,500,000.00,  and  is  one 
of  the  most  beautiful  buildings  in  the 
world. 

The  first  bridge  built  in  the  county  was 
in  Van  Buren  Township,  over  Coal  Creek, 
at  White's  Mill.     It  was  completed  in  1826. 

Among  the  settlers  who  came  to  the 
township  before  1830  were:  Cochrans, 
Whites,  Colverts,  Birches,  Pattons,  Rushes, 
Galloways,  Romines,  Cranes,  Boords,  Camp- 
bells, Walkers,  Simpsons,  Glascocks,  Reeds, 
and  many  others. 


Centennial     Book 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  FULTON  TOWNSHIP 


By  Jok  Starkey 


FULTON    township    is    situated      in      the 
southwestern       corner       of       Fountain 
County.      At    one    time     this     territory 
was  included  in  that  of  Millcreek  township. 
Its   present    extent    is    only   five-sixths    of    a 
congressional   township. 

It  is  bounded  by  Wabash  township  on  the 
north.    Millcreek    township      on      the      east, 


JOSHUA    CATES 
Died    at    the    age    of    99    years 

Parke  County  on  the  south,  and  on  the  west 
by  the  Wabash  river. 

The  geographical  location  of  this  town- 
ship is  entirely  in  township  eighteen,  but 
in  both  ranges   eight  and   nine,   west. 

The  old  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  passes 
through  the  western  part  of  this  township 
and  forming,  with  the  Wabash  river,  a 
small  island  known  as  Silver  Island.  Indians 
once  occupied  this  island  and  it  was  said 
that  they  had  once  hidden  a  large  sum  of 
silver  on  this  spot.  However,  after  long 
research,  none  was  ever  found.  From  this 
circumstance  it  has  been  called  Silver 
Island. 

It  is  related  that  a  chief  offered  a  meas- 
ure of  silver  if  a  white  man  would  consent 
to  his  son  becoming  the  husband  of  his 
Indian  maiden,  and  that  after  securing  the 
silver  and  having  the  marriage  that  the 
white  boy  would  pay  no  further  attention 
to  the  poor  Indian   girl. 


In  1829  this  country  was  the  scsn;>  of 
salt  and  oil  excitement.  The  found  min- 
erals clearly  indicated  the  existence  cf 
salt  here.  That  year  Norbour  Thomas 
entered  a  tract  of  land  near  where  Silver- 
wood  is  now  situated,  and  began  boring  for 
salt,  which  he  found  in  paying  quantities. 
Not  fully  satisfied  with  this  production,  he 
bored  again  in  the  same  well  and  found  a 
vein  of  saline  water  which  afforded  him 
fifty  bushels  per  day.  Later  a  company  of 
which  Mr.  Thomas  became  a  member,  was 
organized  to  prospect  for  oil.  Soring  was 
continued  in  this  same  well  and  the  result 
was  the  famous  artisian  well,  which  is 
widely  known  for  the  medicinal  qualities 
of  the   water  and  the  large  bathing  pool. 

The  first  settlers  of  this  township  were 
James  Graham  and  William  Forb:s  in 
1822,  on  section  17,  about  one-half  mile 
west  of  Cates.  However,  these  men  did 
not  become  permanent  settlers.  Other 
early  comers  were  Lewis  Phebus,  Isaac 
Hibbs,  and  Robert  Nugent,  later  a  promin- 
ent church  man  of  this  section  entered 
land  in  section  25. 

In  1828  Robert  Guy  from  Pennsylvania , 
settled  here.  He  also  bought  a  body  of 
land  in  Parke   County. 

In  1830  Dr.  Hall  with  his  family  settled 
here,  where  he  practised  medicine  for 
twenty  years. 

In  the  same  year  came  Elias  Dodson  with 
his  ox  team,  bringing  his  wife  and  eight 
children,  but  very  little  furniture.  They 
at  first  took  shelter  under  a  shed  connected 
to  a  grist  mill.  This  mill  was  indeed  a  gen- 
uine "corn-cracker"  and  people  came  to  this 
mill  from  a  distance  of  twenty  miles  or 
more.  They  cleared  a  small  space  in  the 
forest  and  planted  some  corn,  but  the  deer 
were  so  numerous  they  had  to  provide  pro- 
tection for  their  crops. 

The  first  school  houses  of  this  township 
were  built  of  round  logs,  cracks  "chinked" 
and  very  rudely  finished.  School  was  in 
session  from  sunrise  till  sunset  with  no 
intermission  except  the  noon  hour.  One 
of  the  first  school  houses  erected  was  on 
section  28.  One  of  the  first  teachers  of 
this  school  was  Mrs.  Ashly.  No  small  por- 
tion of  her  time  was  spent  in  making  goose 
quill   writing  pens  for  the  children. 

The  first  Methodist  church  was  the  Burn- 
sides  Chapel,  organized  in  1876.  Before 
this  time  people  had  been  holding  services 
in  the  homes.  "Very  early  the  Missionary 
Baptists  organized  the  Millcreek  Baptist 
church  and  built  for  themselves  a  home  in 
Lodi.  Since  that  time  the  Christian  and 
United  Brethren  churches  have  been  organ- 
ized. 


Fountain     County 


MILLCREEK  TOWNSHIP 


By  A.  H.  Lindley 


MILLCREEK  township  was  settled  by 
that  wonderful  race  of  men  and 
women  who,  coming  from  the  East 
through  the  passes  of  the  Alleghanies,  or 
up  from  the  Carolina s  by  way  of  the  Cum- 
berland Gap,  took  from  the  hand  of  Nature 
a  wilderness  and  created  that  magnificent 
empire  of  the  Wabash  valley.  No  greater 
people  has  ever  lived.  History  affords  no 
record  of  any  other  people  who,  within  the 
span  of  a  life  time,  carved  out  from  the 
primeval  forest  a  state  and  left  their  child- 
ren an  heritage  of  stable  and  orderly  gov- 
ernment. 

The  earliest  entries  were  made  of  lands 
in  the  northern  part  of  the  township.  In 
1825  and  '26  John  Gilman,  Peter  Young- 
blood,  Jacob  Isley,  Franklin  DeBoard,  Jacob 
Bonebrake,  Isaac  Kelsey  and  Joseph  Haw- 
kins made  entries  and  shortly  there- 
after established  their  homes.  In  the  cen- 
tral part  John  Elwell  settled  in  1831, 
George  Norris  in  1834,  George  Redenbaugh 
in  1836,  and  Joseph  Sines  on  section  16  in 
1840.  The  first  settlement  in  the  southern 
part  was  made  by  Thomas  Ratcliffe,  who 
built  his  home  in  1828.  An  interesting  story 
was  told  the  writer  by  the  late  Thos.  J. 
Ratcliffe,  who  was  a  grandson  of  Thomas 
Ratcliffe.  Late  in  the  evening  of  a  sultry 
day  the  senior  Mr.  Ratcliffe  reached  the 
lands  he  luid  selected.  Suddenly  a  thunder- 
storm came  up  and  he  had  barely  time  to 
get  his  team  unhitched  from  the  wagon 
before  the  storm  was  upon  them.  He  had 
just  got  back  in  the  wagon  with  his  family 
when  a  large  tree  was  uprooted  by  the 
storm  and  fell  across  the  wagon  tongue. 
Had  he  been  a  minute  later  both  he  and 
his  horses  would  have  been  killed.  He  was 
followed  by  Michael  and  Valentine  Day  in 
1832,  George  W.  Sowers  in  1837,  and 
Reuben  Lindley  in  1839. 

One  of  the  serious  problems  which  con- 
fronted these  early  settlers  was  that  of 
providing  meal  for  their  families.  There 
was  a  mill  on  the  east  fork  of  Coal  creek 
to  which  the  settlers  in  the  northern  and 
central  parts  of  the  township  could  take 
their  corn  to  be  ground  but  those  in  the 
southern  part  were  compelled  to  go  to  the 
mill  on  Raccoon  creek  in  Parke  county. 
This  condition  existed  until  some  time  in 
the  late  thirties  when  Isaac  Towell  built  a 
mill  at  the  falls  of  Mill  creek  near  the 
western  line  of  the  township.  It  was  not 
until  1867  that  the  first  steam  grist  mill 
was  erected.  This  was  built  at  Harveys- 
burg  by  Jeremiah  Bannon.  About  1840 
Alanson  Savage  built  a  steam  saw  mill  in 
the  northern  part  of  the  township.  A  store 
and  blacksmith  shop  were  erected  and  the 
place  became  known  as  Steam   Corner.     At 


this  mill  vast  quantities  of  oak  timbers 
were  sawed  for  use  on  the  plank  road  that 
was  built  through  the  central  part  of  the 
county.  In  1852  Harlan  Harvey  built  a 
steam  saw  mill  on  the  site  where  Harveys- 
burg  was  afterwards  laid  out. 

It  is  typical  of  the  American  pioneer  that 
after  the  establishment  of  his  home  he 
first  builds  roads,  then  schools,  then 
churches.  The  first  roads  led  towards  the 
mills.  A  road  was  laid  out  from  the  Nar- 
rows of  Sugar  creek  in  Parke  county  which 
ran  through  the  township  in  a  northwest- 
ernly  direction  towards  Covington.  This 
road  probably  followed  the  Indian  trace 
from  the  Narrows  to  their  camp  ground  on 
the  LaTourette  farm  on  Grahams  creek.  At 
the  point  where  Harvey sburg  was  after- 
wards located  a  branch  ran  southwest  to 
Towells  mill.  Another  road  was  laid  out 
from  the  forks  of  Coal  creek  to  the  settle- 
ments in  the  northern  and  central  parts  of 
the  township  and  thence  south  to  connect 
with  the  first  named  road. 

Probably  the  first  school  in  the  township 
was  located  about  fifty  feet  west  of  the 
large  beech  tree  that  stands  in  front  of 
the  entrance  of  the  Harveysburg  cemetery. 
This  school  was  taught  by  George  Hart- 
man  and  was  known  by  the  name  of  the 
Hendricks  school.  Mrs.  Wm.  S.  Ephlin,  who 
is  a  daughter  of  Reuben  Lindley  was  a  pu- 
pil there  in  1845.  William  Myers  was  also 
a  pioneer  teacher  and  taught  the  Myers 
school  located  near  the  present  site  of  Cen- 
tennial church. 

The  United  Brethren  Church  did  the  pion- 
eering in  the  organization  of  churches.  As 
early  as  1S34  a  class  was  organized  in  the 
central  part  of  the  township  by  Rev.  Cook 
which  was  known  by  the  name  of  the  Sam- 
ple class.  Classes  were  also  organized  in 
the  Myers  neighborhood  and  at  Harveys- 
burg, the  former  in  1842  and  the  latter  in 
1858.  In  1852  the  Methodists  organized  a 
class  at  the  Steam  Corner  school  house 
and  in  1858  at  Harveysburg.  The  first 
building  erected  exclusively  for  church 
purposes  was  built  at  Harveysburg  in  1857 
for  the  use  of  all  denominations.  Rev. 
John  P.  Ephlin  was  the  first  resident  min- 
ister. He  belonged  to  the  United  Brethren 
Church  at  Harveysburg.  About  1870  the 
Newlight  branch  of  the  Christian  Church 
built  east  of  where  Yeddo  was  afterwards 
located.  In  1871  the  Myers  class  of  the 
United  Brethren  Church  built  on  the  pres- 
ent site  of  Centennial  church  while  in  1872 
the  Disciples  branch  of  the  Christian 
church  built  east  of  Steam  Corner  and  the 
United  Brethren  Church  at  Harveysburg. 

The  first  doctor  in  the  northern  part  of 
the   township  was   Dr.  Fine.     In   the   south- 


Centennial     Book 


era  part  Dr.  Brewer,  and  Dr.  McNutt  lo- 
cated  at   Harveysburg. 

While  there  was  a  store  and  blacksmith 
shop  at  Steam  Corner.  Harveysburg  was 
the  only  town  in  the  township.  It  was  laid 
out  by  Lot  B.  Lindley  in  1S56  and  was 
named  in  honor  of  his  father-in-law,  Harlan 
Harvey,  who  operated  a  saw  mill  on  the 
town  site.  Charles  Markins  was  the  first 
general  merchant.  Dr.  McNutt  owned  the 
first  drug  store,  in  which  was  located  the 
postoffiee.  and  John  Spencer  had  a  cabinet 
shop  and  was  the  first  tavern  keeper. 

In  1SS0  the  railroad  was  extended  south 
from  Veedersburg  to  the  center  of  the 
township.  At  this  point  the  town  of  Yeddo 
was  established  in  1880.  In  1885  the  road 
was  completed  through  the  township  and 
the  town  of  Kingman  was  laid  out. 


The  majority  of  the  settlers  in  the  north 
ern  parts  of  the  township  came  from  tht 
eastern  states  to  the  forks  of  Coal  creek. 
While  the  southern  part  was  settled  prin- 
cipally by  Carolinians.  Kentucky  also  sent 
its  contingent,  notably  the  Purrs,  Booes 
and  Glascocks,  who  took  up  lands  in  the 
northeastern  part  of  the  township. 

Millcreek  township  was,  and  is,  a  typical 
American  community. 

It  has  been  and  is  now  the  home  of  great 
men  and  women.  Not  great  by  reason  of 
their  wealth  or  political  prominence,  but 
great  by  reason  of  their  kindly  deeds,  their 
sympathetic  interest  in  their  neighbors 
welfare,  their  sincere  love  of  country,  their 
humility  and  faith  in   God. 

To  the  writer,  there  is  no  greater  people. 


A  HISTORY  OF  CAIN  TOWNSHIP 

By  John  F.  Davidson 


CAIN  township,  organized  in  1S26,  has 
been  bountifully  enriched  with  the 
natural  resources  of  agriculture  and 
and  it  is  the  industry  of  its  citizens  that 
the  development  has  progressed  unceasing- 
ly and  harmoniously  to  the  present  state 
of   success. 

Along  the  banks  of  Coal  creek  have  arisen 
mills  that  have  flourished  for  a  time  and 
some  are  still  in  operation.  The  charm 
and  picturesaueness  of  these  old  relics  of 
a  former  century  lead  one  in  fancy  to  con- 
template with  awe  the  daring  of  our  an- 
cestors who  first  braved  the  perils  of  the 
forest  and  savage  to  enter  commerce.  The 
saw  mills  have  perished  in  the  lapse  of 
time.  The  remnants  of  a  once  thriving  mill 
erected  by  John  Petro  in  1846  may  still  be 
seen  from  the  Dixie  Highway  approximately 
three  miles  east  of  the  town  of  Hillsboro. 
It  is  now  a  huge  barn  and  only  the  name  re- 
mains dimly  under  a  coat  of  orange  paint 
to  remind  us  of  its  former  prestige.  This 
mill  was  said  to  occupy  the  site  of  a  corn- 
cracker  and  distillery  in  operation  about 
1824.  In  1871  George  D.  Brown,  erected  the 
building  now  used  as  a  barn  and  continued 
to  operate  it  until  about  the  year  1882. 
This  mill  was  purchased  by  John  M.  Snyder 
and  operated  for  a  short  while  under  the 
name  of  Coal  Springs  Flouring  Mill. 

One  mile  farther  down  the  river  a  corn- 
cracker  was  built  in  early  settlement  period 
but  was  abandoned  after  a  brief  existence. 

The  pioneer  grist  mill  is  located  on  the 
south  edge  of  the  town  of  Hillsboro.  It 
was  built  by  David  Kester  in  1824,  and  in 
1830  was  sold  to  a  Mr.  Zumwalt  who  built 
the  first  frame  building.  Since  that  time 
it  has  been  owned  successively  by  T.  W. 
Fry,  Andrew  J.  and  Pleasant  Williams  of 
Shelby    county,    Kentucky,    Peter    M.    Wil- 


liams,   son    of    A.    J.,    George    Stearns,    and 
Wm.   Weaver,   the   present    owner. 

In  1855  work  was  started  on  the  Indi- 
anapolis, Bloomington  &  Western  R.  R.  In 
1858  work  was  suspended.  The  grading 
was  well  advanced  along  the  entire  line, 
however,  no  rails  were  laid.  In  1868  Benja- 
min Smith  came  into  possession  of  the  road 
and  completed  it  in  the  fall  of  1870.  The 
first  trains  were  regularly  run  in  1871. 

Hillsboro  is  a  thriving  town  of  700  lo 
cated  in  the  north  central  part  of  the 
township.  The  Big  Four  R.  R.,  from  Indi- 
anapolis to  Peoria,  111.,  passes  thru  the 
northern  edge  and  the  south  fork  of  Coal 
creek  runs  thru  the  southern  edge.  The 
town  has  a  saw  mill,  a  fertilizer  factory, 
two  large  garages,  two  gasoline  filling 
stations,  one  bank  capitalized  at  $25,000.00, 
two  dry  goods  stores,  two  fancy  groceries, 
one  chain-store-grocery,  hardware  store, 
drug  store,  two  restaurants  and  other  busi- 
ness establishments.  The  town  was  laid 
out  by  David  Kester  in  the  year  of  1830. 
The  first  trustee  was  was  J.  M.  McBroom 
and  the  present  one  is  Frank  Deth. 

Hillsboro  has  two  churches,  the  Disciples 
or  Christian,  and  the  Methodist.  The  latter 
is  the  older  being  organized  in  1870  under 
the  pastorship  of  William  Bolin.  The 
Christian  church  was  organized  in  1873  un- 
der the  pastorship  of  L.  C.  Warren.  In 
the  township  there  are  two  other  churches; 
Prairie  Chapel  (Methodist)  built  in  1859 
under  the  pastorship  of  James  B.  Gray;  and 
Ingersoll  Chapel  (Christian)  organized  in 
1S69  under  the  pastorship  of  J.  M.  Ken- 
field. 

The  present  Public  School  system  was 
put  in  operation  about  1865  or  1866  and  is 
now  one  of  the  most  modern  and  up-to-date 
organizations  in  the  State.     John  F.  David- 


Fountain     County 


son,  now  justice  of  the  peace  was  one  of 
the  early  teachers.  Eleven  teachers  now 
instruct  students  who  are  qualified  to  enter 
college  after  completing  the  eight  common 
grades  and  the  four  years  of  commissioned 
high  school. 

The  Hillsboro  Masonic  Lodge  No.  385  was 
organized  May  5,  1869,  the  Masonic  year 
of  5869.  This  ancient  and  honorable  so- 
ciety now  comprises  more  than  100  mem- 
bers in  Cain  township.  Hillsboro  Lodge 
I.  O.  O.  F.  No.  290  was  chartered  in  Sep- 
tember 1867  and  at  present  has  more  than 
175  members  in  the  township.  The  K.  of 
P.'s,  Red  Stone  Chapter  No.  319,  was  char 
tered  June  3,  1891  and  is  perhaps  the 
strongest  of  the  secret  orders  in  this 
township.  The  Modern  Woodmen  also  have 
an    organization. 

It  would  be  incomplete  to  leave  un 
mentioned  some  of  the  families  who  have 
left  an  indelible  impression  upon  the  so 
ciety  of  Cain  township.  That  of  John  Mc- 
Broom  who  early  settled  in  this  township 
and  whose  descendants  are  yet  prominent 
The  family  is  Scotch-Irish  and  figured 
prominently  in  the  Revolutionary  War. 


Ezekiel  Rynearson,  who  died  in  Hills- 
boro in  1874  was  of  a  family  prominent  in 
the   township   affairs. 

Jacob  T.  Hesler,  farmer,  son  of  William 
and  Matilda  (Purr)  Hesler,  who  came  to 
this  township  in  1834.  Jacob  was  born  in 
1844  and  resided  in  this  township  all  his 
life. 

L.  W.  Wood,  wagon-maker,  who  came  to 
this  township  in  1854. 

J.  W.  Tinsley,  harness-maker,  who  came 
here  in  1870  and  leaves  a  well  known  and 
honorable   family. 

Joseph  Hayes,  merchant  and  banker,  who 
came  here  from   Tennessee  in   1867. 

The  Carter,  Davidson,  Williams,  Osborn 
Bailey,  Weidman  and  Davis  families  are  all 
associated  wtih  the  early  development  of 
the  township. 

Finally,  Cain  township's  record  during 
the  wars  that  have  confronted  our  Repub- 
lic has  been  honorable  and  devoted.  Five 
young  men  made  the  supreme  sacrifice  in 
the  last — the  World  War.  Approximately 
fifty  entered  the  military  service.  Those 
who  gave  their  all  are:  Claude  Wilkinson, 
Harry  "Bud"'  Williams,  William  E.  G. 
Cooper,  Orville  Smith,  and  Frank  Conner. 


DAVIS  TOWNSHIP 

By  Lydia  Melinda  Earl 


DAVIS  township  located  in  the  ex- 
treme northeast  portion  of  the 
county  is  one  of  the  older  town- 
ships of  the  county,  although  having 
been  reduced  in  size  by  the  organiza- 
tion of  Logan  township.  It  is  bounded 
on  the  north  by  the  Wabash  River,  and  was 
originally  well  timbered,  except  the  natural 
prairies.  It  is  a  fertile  township,  the  north 
part  rolling,  the  south  level,  and  is  well 
supplied  with  glacial  deposits  of  gravel.  It 
was  originally  inhabited  by  the  Miami  and 
Shawnee  Tribes  of  Indians,  the  first  white 
inhabitants  being  courier  des  bois,  hunters 
and  trappers  coming  into  the  wilderness 
over  the  old  Tecumseh  Trail,  one  of  whom, 
Silas  McVane  living  in  the  southeast  corner, 
with  another  white  man  assisted  in  bury- 
ing the  bones  of  the  soldiers  killed  at  the 
battle  of  Tippecanoe.  No  permanent  set- 
tlement was  made  until  about  ten  years 
later  when  Indian  troubles  were  over.  Then 
came  Peter  Weaver  from  Ohio.  He  and 
his  Indian  wife  lived  a  winter  with  the 
Indians  at  Burnett's  Reservation  at  the 
mouth  of  Flint  Creek.  Next  year  he  built 
h  log  cabin  which  was  found  by  govern- 
ment survey  to  be  located  in  Tippecanoe 
county,  making  him  also  the  first  white 
settler  of  that  county.  In  1S24  came  a  boat 
load  of  settlers  from  Maysville,  Kentucky, 
bringing  with  them  materials  for  a  com- 
munity house  which  they  built  on  the  Wa- 


bash river  bank  in  1824.  The  town  of  Mays- 
ville was  later  platted,  grew  to  considerable 
prominence  and  has  disappeared.  The  men 
who  came  were  Morrison,  Herryman,  Dun- 
kin,  Hemphill,  George  Worthington,  his 
father-in-law  Hawkins,  and  Isaac  Colman, 
afterwards  founder  of  Covington.  Hemphill 
built  a  woolen  and  grist  mill  on  Youngs 
creek.  Afterwards  it  was  converted  into  a 
distillery  and  finally  torn  down.  At  Ful- 
ton, farther  up  the  river  were  made  the 
only  flat  boats  in  the  State  of  Indiana.,  to 
take  merchandise  to  New  Orleans.  The 
boat  ways  can  still  be  seen  on  the  river 
bank.  In  1827  Isaac  Waldrip  of  South 
Carolina  settled  on  the  farm  now  owned  by 
the  fourth  generation  of  his  family.  In 
1829,  Jesse  Marvin,  afterwards  trustee 
assisting  in  building  the  first  schoolhouse 
in  the  township,  walked  in  from  Ohio.  Rev. 
James  Kinkennon  taught  school  near  the 
Salem  Church,  and  on  the  south  end  Ed- 
ward A.  Hannegan,  afterwards  United 
States  Senator  from  Indiana,  taught  school 
and  read  law.  In  1824  came  Rev.  Jacob 
Turman,  a  Methodist  minister,  and  a  year 
later  was  formed  the  Davis  Township 
Methodist  Association.  In  1832  Joseph 
Smith  and  Sydney  Rigdon  preached  the 
Mormon  religion.  These  teachings  took 
three  hundred  proselytes  and  $600,000.00 
from  Fountain  county  to  Missouri.  The 
first    postoffice    was    in    George    Worthing- 


Centennial      Book. 


ton's  tavern,  now  a  part  of  the  Clem  O'Dell 
estate.  In  IS  iO  Rachel  Picken,  near  Salem 
had  it.  and  in  1859  it  was  moved  to  Attica. 
It    accommodated     Shawnee     Prairie.       The 


Elijah    Earl    with    model    of    his    invention,    the    first 
riding    plow    in    the    world. 


earliest  highway  in  the  county  was  the 
State  Road  (Adeway)  through  the  south 
side.     Through   transportation   was   furnish- 


ed by  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal,  followed 
by  the  Wabash  Railroad.  The  river  road 
was  broken  with  an  ox  team,  dragging  a 
felled  tree  through  the  Lo  est.  Today  every 
little  by  lane  in  the  township  is  paved  with 
the  glacial  deposit  gravel  that  has  made 
Indiana's  highways  famous.  Davis  town- 
ship has  one  cemetery,  Salem,  although  the 
bodies  of  many  cholera  victims,  laborers 
on  the  canal,  were  buried  near  Maysviile. 
She  has  two  churches,  Free  Methodist  at 
Antioch,  and  United  Brethren  at  Riverside. 
What  was  formerly  Salem  Baptist  Church 
has  been  converted  into  a  community  house. 
One  of  the  most  prominent  residents  of  the 
township  was  Elijah  Earl,  who  bought  the 
farm  of  Samuel  Ellis  and  his  brother  in  the 
southwest  part  of  the  township  in  1S58. 
Elijah  Earl  was  a  mechanic  and  inventor, 
born  in  Ohio,  and  reared  in  Tippecanoe 
county.  He  brought  with  him  a  threshing 
machine  which  he  had  made  in  the  winter 
of  1858.  Here  in  Davis  township  he  in- 
vented and  manufactured  the  first  riding 
plow  (single  corn  cultivator)  and  corn 
planter  in  the  world.  He  patented  the 
plow  but  missed  the  first  patent  on  the 
planter  by  three  days.  He  combined  inter- 
ests with  the  man  who  secured  the  patent 
on  the  planter,  and  buying  the  old  Academy 
at  Bethel  where  Dan  Voorhees  went  to 
school,  moved  it  to  the  farm,  and  used  it 
as  a  shop  for  many  years.  In  1860  he  was 
elected  Justice  of  the  Peace  which  office  he 
held  for  thirty-four  years.  In  1925  Davis 
township  opened  its  first  consolidated 
school  for  the  grades  at  Vine.  Its  high 
school  pupils  go  to  Attica. 


TROY  TOWNSHIP 

By   Mrs.  John  B.  Martin  and  Harriet  Carwile 


THE  first  entries  of  land,  in  Troy 
township,  were  made  as  early  as 
1822,  when  Andrew  Lopp,  Rezin 
Shelby  and  William  Alexander  obtained 
patents.  However,  no  permanent  settle- 
ments were  mads  until  in  1823.  In  this 
year  Archibald  Johnston  settled  in  the 
southern  part  of  the  township.  Some  of 
this  land  is  still  owned  by  his  great,  great 
grandson — Archibald  Johnston  Heath.  In 
this  same  year,  1823,  Lucas  Nebeker  came 
west  and  entered  land  lying  about  three 
miles  north  of  Covington.  In  1824  he  raised 
a  small  crop,  built  a  cabin,  and  prepared  a 
home  for  his  family,  which  he  moved  out 
in  the  fall  of  that  year.  With  him  came 
John  and  William  Bilsland  who  settled  in 
the  same  neighborhood. 

Jesse  Osborn  came  in  1824  and  settled 
in  the  northern  part  of  Troy  township,  giv- 
ing his  name  to  the  whole  prairie. 

Other  pioneer  settlers  who  came  between 
the   years   1824     and     1827     were     George 


Steely,  Joseph  Shelby,  Joshua  Walker, 
James  Denton,  James  Carwile,  Isaac  De- 
Haven,  Joseph  and  Forgas  Graham,  Win. 
Ward,  John  LaTourette,  Jeremiah  Heath, 
and  David  Sewell.  These  settlers  together 
with  those  first  mentioned  are  considered 
among  the  first  pioneers  of  Troy  township. 
In  most  cases  the  land  they  entered  is  still 
owned   by  their  descendants. 

Soon  after  settling,  the  pioneers  turned 
their  attention  to  a  place  of  worship  and 
schools  in  which  to  educate  their  children. 
When  weather  permitted  the  groves  were 
the  pioneer  temples  of  worship.  The  home 
cabin  and  log  schoolhouse  also  received  the 
worshipers  until  a  church  could  be  pro- 
vided. 

Archibald  Johnston,  who  settled  in  the 
southern  p?.rt  of  the  township  in  1823,  and 
Lucas  Nebeker,  who  settled  in  the  "Bend" 
in  1824  were  perhaps  the  earliest  pioneers 
who  opened  their  homes  to  all  religious 
services. 


Fountain    County 


The  "Old  Union"  church,  the  earliest  of 
all  in  Troy  township,  was  founded  in  1826. 
Jeremiah  Heath  donated  the  land  on  which 
it  was  built  and  was  a  deacon  in  the 
church.  Early  ministers  were  Wm.  Hole, 
John  P.  Martin,  John  Hibbs,  Watson  Clark 
and  Solomon  Clark.  Water  baptism  for 
sins  split  "Old  Union",  some  of  the  mem- 
bers going  to  Van  Buren  township  where 
they  organized   Osborne's  Chapel  in   1838. 

About  1829  a  log  schoolhouse  was  built 
in  the  "Bend",  which  also  served  as  a  place 
of  worship.  In  the  same  year,  a  school- 
house    was    built    on    the     Joshua      German 


farm,  adjoining  the  Carwile  farm  on  the 
west.  Here  the  Germans,  Corbins,  Car- 
wiles,  Briggs,  Crains  and  Davidsons  re- 
ceived their  early  education.  This  school 
house  was  also  a  place  of  worship,  and  the 
burial  ground  was  in  the  school-yard.  The 
names  of  many  of  the  early  settlers  can  be 
traced  on  the  tombstones.  Some  graves 
can  still  be  seen  outside  the  fence  that 
enclosed  the  old  cemetery.  They  are  the 
graves  of  the  early  settlers  who  did  not 
prosper,  and  sold  themselves  to  others,  for 
their  board  and  the  promise  of  a  burial. 

With  the  establishment  of  Covington  in 
1826  the  pioneers  were  given  a  trading 
point.  Daniel  Landers,  who  was  a  rising 
merchant  h.  the  log  town  of  Indianapolis, 
decided  to  start  a  branch  store  in  Coving- 
ton. For  that  purpose  he  sent  out  Joseph 
L.  Sloan.  Mr.  Sloan  made  the  trip  in 
October  1826,  bringing  a  load  of  goods  with 
him  ar.d  chopping  the  greater  part  of  his 
way  thru  the  dense  woods.  The  store  soon 
became  the  center  of  attraction  and  the 
surrounding  farmers  were  happier. 

About  the  same  time  David  Rawles  ar- 
rived and  began  the  construction  of  the 
first  hotel  or  "tavern".  Soon  other  shops 
were  established  and  by  1830  the  popula- 
tion of  Covington  had  reached  about  200 
inhabitants. 

The  first  postoffice  was  secured  about 
1S26.  Joseph  L.  Sloan  was  the  first  post- 
master. He  was  succeeded  by  David 
Rawles. 


Joseph  L.  Sloan  built  the  first  saw  mill 
about  1834.  It  did  the  work  for  a  large 
scope  of  country  giving  employment  to 
many    men. 

Indian  mounds  were  plentiful  in  an  early 
day  in  and  around  Covington.  One  of  the 
Bilslands  built  a  log  cabin  on  one  of  these 
mounds  and  a  few  may  still  be  seen  on 
what  is  known  as  the  James  Everly  farm. 
A  large  mound  was  near  the  Nebeker 
homestead  when  E.  H.  and  Lucas  Nebeker 
were  born.  A  portion  of  the  old  house  is 
still   standing. 

An  aged  Indian,  a  Kickapoo  named  She- 
shepah  who  lived  in  peace  with  the  whites 
for  many  years  met  death  in  a  foul  man- 
ner by  another  Indian  at  the  Nebeker 
Springs  on  the  George  Nebeker  farm  north 
of   Covington. 

A  bone  of  a  mighty  mastodon  was  found 
when  excavating  for  the  old  canal.  It 
measured  17  feet  in  length  and  weighed 
about  700  pounds.  It  was  turned  over  to 
Wabash  College  and  later  sent  to  Indiana- 
polis to  the  State  museum.  It  is  numbered 
15,  but  no  record  is  there  to  connect  this 
relic  of  Covington  with  the  canal  days. 

It  is  said  that  man's  sense  of  worth 
comes  largely  from  his  faith  and  hope,  and 
that  life  is  made  rich  from  experiences — 
therefore  every  pioneer  preserves  some 
fragments  in  memory  of  the  past — some- 
thing of  that  sacred  flame  of  an  ambition 
to  leave  the  world  a  better  place  than  when 
he  found   it. 


THE  PLANK  ROAD 

THE  "Better  Roads"  movement  began 
in  the  Forties,  culminating  in  the 
building  of  a  plank  road  between 
Covington  and  Crawfordsville,  following 
the  present  Dixie  Highway,  with  a  branch 
leading  off  in  a  southeasterly  direction  to 
a  point  a  few  miles  from  Wallace.  It  was 
completed  in    1851. 

It  was  built  of  3  inch  plank,  laid  on  and 
bolted  to  three  wooden  stringers,  with 
wooden  pins.  A  few  years  after  its  com- 
pletion the  planks   were  spiked   down. 

Harris  Reynolds  sawed  all  the  plank, 
paying  $1.00  a  day  for  labor. 

Only  one  man,  now  living,  has  been  found 
who  worked  on  this  road — Mr.  John  Liven- 
good  of  Jackson  township,  when  a  mere 
lad,  carried  water  to  the  mill,  receiving  for 
his  service  20  cents  a  day. 

A  toll  gate  keeper  at  the  cross  roads  just 
south  of  the  overhead  bridge,  collected  a 
fee  from  all  travelers-  The  toll  from  Wal- 
lace for  a  team,  was   thirty-five  cents. 

This  road  made  good  connection  with 
other  roads  in  use  in  the  county  and  was  a 
regular   stage   route. 

The  floor  of  the  large  barn  on  the  farm 
of  the  late  Col.  James  McMannomy,  now 
the  property  of  his  daughter,  Mrs.  Wm.  B. 
Coffing,  is  laid  frcm  the  discarded  planks 
of   this   road. 


Centennial      Book 


ENOS  H.   NEBEKER 


Born   1836— died    1913.     United   States    Treasurer   during 
Benjamin    Harrison's    administration. 


Fountain    County 


EARLY  HISTORY  OF  LOGAN  TOWNSHIP 

By  J.  W.  Whicker 


% 


Attica  in  an  early  day. 


THE  first  white  man  to  bring  his 
family  and  make  a  permanent 
home  in  Logan  township  was  Casey 
Emmons,  in  the  spring  of  1823.  Josiah 
Bryant  entered  land  in  1822,  but  did  not 
move  into  the  township  until  the  spring  of 
1825.  Emmons  built  his  cabin  in  the  Ravine 
Park  and  lived  there  until  1827,  when  he 
entered  land  just  east  of  Attica  and  built 
a  cabin  on  it,  vacating  his  former  home 
in  the  Ravine.  Job  Peacock,  later  finding 
this  vacant  cabin,  moved  into  it.  Emmons 
was  a  tanner  by  trade  and  made  clothing 
and  moccasins  for  the  Indians.  His  wife 
was   a   half-blood    Cherokee    Indian. 

In  the  fall  of  1824,  Jacob  Turman,  a 
Methodist  preacher  came  to  the  Campbell 
or  Indian  Spring  as  a  missionary  to  the 
Indians  and  founded  the  first  Methodist 
class  in  the  following  spring. 

In  1826,  Josiah  Bryant,  Jacob  Turman, 
Casey  Emmons  and  others  built  a  fort  near 
Bethel,  enclosing  about  two  acres  of  land 
surrounding  it,  with  palisades,  and  inside 
this  enclosure  they  dug  a  well.  This  fort 
was  built  as  a  protection  against  Indian 
raids,  and  in  the  following  year,  was  used 
by  all  the  settlers  for  miles  around  during 
an  Indian  uprising  in  northern  Indiana  and 
eastern   Illinois. 

In  1S32,  General  Joseph  Orr,  in  command 
of  the  State  Militia,  was  sent  to  Logan 
township  by  Governor  Noble  to  take 
charge  of  northern  Indiana.  He  marched 
from  Greencastle  with  eighty-two  men,  as 
many  more  from  Fountain  and  Warren 
counties  joining  him.  They  first  arranged 
the  fort  for  a  place  of  defense  and  retreat, 
and     then     made     their     headquarters     in 


Attica  on  the  river  bank.  They  patrolled 
the  state  line  from  the  ten  o'clock  line 
south  of  Newport  to  Lake  Michigan,  and 
did  not  break  camp  until  the  middle  of 
August  after  the  Indian  treaty  was  signed 
at  Tippecanoe. 

The  Kickapoo  Ford  across  the  Wabash 
River,  the  best  ford  along  the  river,  was  in 
Logan  township.  During  high  waters,  all 
the  highways  in  north  Fountain  and  War- 
ren led  to  this  ford.  In  1831,  Casey  Em- 
mons entered  one  hundred  acres  of  land  at 
the  ford  and  built  a  log  cabin  there  large 
enough  for  a  hotel.  Ever  afterward  it  was 
known  as  Emmons  Ford.  The  hotel  was 
operated  by  Emmons  until  the  canal  was 
built.  Eighty  per  cent  of  the  first  settlers 
in  Logan  township  settled  along  the  river 
and  came  either  up  or  down  the  river  in 
some  kind  of  boat. 

The  first  burial  ground  was  in  the  south- 
east corner  of  section  27,  township  22,  north 
of  range  7,  west.  Three  members  of  a 
family  by  the  name  of  Schlosser  died  of 
milk  sickness,  and  a  year  later,  Dr.  Yandes 
and  a  young  man  by  the  name  of  Young, 
living  at  Independence,  were  drowned;  both 
bodies  were  buried  in  the  same  grave  at 
this  place.  Later,  one  thousand  immi- 
grants, who  were  employed  on  the  canal 
during  its  construction,  died  of  cholera 
and  were  buried  in  this  grave-yard.  After 
that,  it  was  deserted. 

There  were  three  schools  in  Logan  town- 
ship; one  at  Miami  Beach,  one  at  Bethel, 
and  one  at  Attica-  The  higher  branches 
were  taught  in  a  Seminary  at  Bethel,  many 
young  men  preparing  themselves  for  col- 
lege at  this   Seminary. 


Centennial     Book 


As  to  industries,  the  first  tan  yard  in  the 
county  was  in  Logan  township;  the  first 
nursery  was  put  in  by  Jonathan  Swain,  and 
was  a  thriving  business.  Swain  made  a 
fortune  with  it  and  moved  to  Iowa.  An- 
other of  the  thriving  industries,  was  the 
stone  quarry  belonging  to  James  Killen. 
Here,  building  stone  and  grave  markers 
were  quarried  and  lettered  and  some  very 
fine  work  was  done  in  this  quarry.  The 
first  saw  mill  in  Logan  township  was  a 
mile  east  of  Attica.  Pine  lumber  was  cut 
and  sawed  here  for  the  construction  of 
flat  boats  exclusively.  The  virgin  timber 
grew  very  large  in  Logan  township  and 
there  were  one  thousand  acres  of  pine  in 
one  grove — this  being  the  largest  grove  of 
pine  in  the  state.  Most  of  this,  however, 
was  cut  and  made  into  flat  boats  before 
1845.  There  were  a  great  many  wild  hogs 
in  the  Wabash  bottoms.  The  first  garden- 
ing in  the  township  was  done  by  Casey 
Emmons;  the  first  farming,  including  the 
raising  of  wheat  and  oats,  was  done  by 
Josiah  Bryant;  and  the  first  fruit"  raising, 
including    apples,     peaches,      cherries      and 


tame  plums,  was  done  by  Jonathan  Swain. 
The  township  was  organized  in  1833,  two 
miles  being  taken  off  of  Davis  township 
and  the  remainder  from  Shawnee.  It  was 
named  for  Thomas  Logan,  one  of  the  pion- 
eers of  Kentucky.  The  first  secret  society 
in  the  county  was  a  temperance  organiza- 
tion at  Bethel,  founded  in  1826  and  re- 
mained in  existence  until  1860.  Attica  was 
laid  out  by  Daniel  Stump  in  March  ,1825, 
and  was  the  first  town  platted  in  the 
county.  Dr.  William  Worthington  was  the 
first  doctor,  having  located  in  Attica  in  the 
fall  of  1826  and  continued  his  practice  here 
until  his  death  in  1870.  Curtis  Newill  was 
the  first  lawyer.  He  was  once  Prosecuting 
Attorney  of  the  district  and  another  time, 
represented  the  county  in  the  lower  house 
of  the  State  Legislature.  Job  Peacock  was 
the  first  blacksmith;  William  Crumton,  the 
first  merchant  and  built  the  first  grist-mill. 
Three  miles  of  the  Bethel  road,  all  in  Logan 
township,  was  the  first  highway  graded  and 
graveled  in  the  county.  It  is  still  a  good 
grade- 


HISTORY  OF  JACKSON  TOWNSHIP 

By  Esten  Goodin 


JACKSON  township,  named  after  Presi- 
dent Andrew  Jackson,  is  located  in  the 
southeast  corner  of  Fountain  county. 
It  comes  nigher  to  being  a  congressional 
township  than  any  other  in  the  county.  It 
lies  in  township  18.  ranges  6  and  7,  west. 
Of  its  natural  features,  it  may  be  said  that 
it  has  an  elevated  surface  except  in  the 
southwest  quarter  which  is  very  broken 
by  ravines  and  creeks. 

The  township  is  drained  largely  by  Mill 
creek  and  Prairie  creek.  Lick  branch  is 
famous  for  its  high,  sharp  bluffs,  swift 
running  waters  and  beautiful  wild  scenery. 
Other  creeks  of  this  township  are  Buffalo, 
Little  Mill,  Still  water,  and  Wolf  creek 
which  has  wonderful  scenery  on  which  we 
find  the  Wolf  creek  falls. 

Early    Settlements 

Squire  John  Bowman  came  from  East 
Tennessee  and  settled,  on  land  east  of  Jack- 
sonville about  1S26.  The  next  year  Rich- 
ard Williams  settled  on  the  site'  of  Jack- 
sonville. John  Hybarger  came  from  Ten- 
nessee in  1827,  followed  by  Thomas  Allen 
who  settled  on  the  Fountain-Parke  county 
line;  Jonathan  Cunningham  joined  him  on 
the  east.  George  Low  and  Cuthbert  Harri- 
son had  settled  north  of  Jacksonville  and 
later  came  Michael  Hutts,  William  Murphy 
and  Isaac  Gooding-  During  the  next  few 
years  came  the  Myerses,  Fines,  Shulers, 
Livengoods,    Grimes,    Sowers,     Kellers    and 


McLains  who  were  important  in  the  growth 
of  the  township.  These  settlers  had  come 
mostly  from  Tennessee,  North  Carolina, 
Virginia  and  Kentucky.  The  majority  of 
these  settlers  helped  to  clear  the  forests 
and  became  engaged  in  agriculture. 

Occupations 

The  township  being  a  forest  region 
naturally  saw  mills  were  built,  one  of 
the  first  and  largest  being  operated  by 
Harris  Reynolds  who  took  the  contract  and 
sawed  the  boards  for  the  old  plank-road. 
Stills  were  very  plentiful  in  the  township 
there  being  as  high  as  six  in  operation  at 
one  time.  This  gave  the  farmer  a  market 
for  his  corn,  obtaining  twenty-five  cents  a 
bushel.  A  mill  to  crack  corn  was  built  on 
the  Narrows  of  Mill  creek  below  Jackson- 
ville by  Ephraim  Dell  on  the  Bever  prop- 
erty. This  mill .  was  later  owned  by  Flem 
Miller.  William  Snooks  had  the  first 
blacksmith  shop  in  the  township.  Samuel 
Gass  was  the  first  shoe  maker  and  George 
McCline  had  a  cabinet  shop.  Drs.  Reeves 
and  Hawes  were  the  first  physicians. 

The  post-office  was  established  during 
the  administration  of  Governor  Wallace, 
and  was  named  for  him  by  Judge  Mitchell 
C.  Black,  the  great  grandfather  of  the 
writer,  and  Squire  John  Bowman  was  the 
first  postmaster.  Judge  Black,  who  died 
in  1840,  held  three  offices  at  the  time, 
being   Probate   Judge,   Road   Superintendent 


Fountain    County 


and  helped  build  the  the  old  Hillsboro  road, 
and  he  was  mail  carrier  from  probably 
Newtown  to  Annapolis  on  the  Greencastle 
route.  After  his  death  his  son,  fifteen  years 
of  age  carried  the  mail. 

The  first  man  to  sell  goods  in  the  village 
was  Conrad  Walter  who  was  followed  by 
the  Milligans,  Bowmans,  Grimeses,  Carters, 
Murphys,  Clores  and  Cunninghams.  Henry 
Newlin,  the  first  druggist,  was  followed  by 
W.   H.    Spinning. 

Schools 

The  first  school-house  was  built  on  the 
Jacob  Fine  land  and  David  Shuler  the 
teacher.  Schools  were  held  in  the  old 
Lutheran  church  and  in  a  few  private 
homes.  A  few  years  later  a  school-house 
was  erected  in  the  village  of  Jacksonville 
with  Job  Blackburn  the  teacher.  The  high 
school  was  built  when  John  Shuler  was 
trustee,  sometime  in  the  nineties  (90's) 
and  was  re-built  and  commissioned  under 
the  term  of  John  C.  Goodin  as  trustee. 
Churches 

The  Evangelic  Lutheran  Phanuel  church 
a  log  structure,  was  built  about  1835  with 
Christian  Moret  as  pastor,  was  the  first 
church.  He  was  followed  by  Rev.  Henkle, 
Rudisill   and    Markert. 

It  was  followed  by  the  Emanuel  or  Liv- 
engood  church  in  the  north  part  of  the 
township,  which  still  stands  and  used  since 
1869.  About  1837  the  Methodists  built  a 
log  structure  in  Jacksonville  which  was 
later  used  by  Boss  Harlow  as  a  dwelling 
and  chair  shop.  A  christian  church  was 
later  started  in  the  village  by  Rev.  James 
Bryant. 

Jackson  township  has  two  places  of  scenic 
beauty,  namely,  the  Narrows  of   Mill  creek 


and  the  Falls  of  Wolf  creek.  At  the  first, 
one  may  still  see  carved  in  the  stone  the 
old  mill  seat  of  Dell's. 

But  few  of  the  old  dwellings  yet  stand 
as  land  marks  although  the  Livengood 
church.  Frog  Chapel  school  and  the  Boggs 
mill  are  still  standing  where  they  were 
first  built. 

The  following  old  soldiers  have  died  in 
this  township:  Isaac  Gooding,  John  Hy- 
barger,  Robert  Miller,  Merwine  Wilkinson, 
Thomas  Allen,  Samuel  Gass,  and  John  New- 
kirk.  All  served  in  the  last  war  with  Great 
Britain  except  Allen,  who  was  a  Revolu- 
tionary veteran  and  rests  in  Wolf  creek 
cemetery- 

The  names  of  John  Bowman,  David  and 
Noah  Livengood,  Mitchel  Black,  Jonathan 
Cunningham,  Peter  Clodfelter,  Myers, 
Shulers,  Fines,  Aliens,  Grimeses,  Sowers, 
Kellers,  Hutts,  McLains,  Murphys,  Good- 
ings  etc.,  have  been  carved  in  Jackson 
township  history  as  very  responsible  for 
its   growth  and  development. 

The  village  of  Jacksonville  was  laid  out 
in  the  days  when  Gen.  Jackson  reigned  as 
the  strong  Democratic  leader.  Jackson  has 
always  been  a  Democratic  stronghold.  At 
one  time  George  Low  was  the  only  Whig 
to  live  in  the  township. 

The  Wallace  Lodge  No.  495  F.  &  A.  M. 
was  chartered  May  26,  1875,  with  Jacob 
Ewbank,  W  -M.,  Thomas  J.  Ratcliff,  S.  W., 
John   B.   Poole,  J.   W. 

Wallace  Lodge  No.  454,  I.  O.  O.  F.,  was 
instituted  by  John  T.  Sanders,  special 
deputy,   June   22,   1874. 

The  Jackson  Township  Horse  Thief  Com- 
pany  was   organized   in    March,   1875- 


HISTORY  OF  SHAWNEE  TOWNSHIP 

By  Mrs.  A.  T.  Claypool 


SHAWNEE  township  is  located  in  the 
northwestern  part  of  the  county.  Its 
northwestern  border  is  washed  by  the 
Wabash  river  and  through  it  flows  Shawnee 
creek,  Coal  creek  and  Bear  creek,  which  all 
eventually  find  the  waters  of  the  Wabash 
river- 

.Of  its  natural  beauty  it  may  be  said  that 
it  is  varient  and  beautiful,  especially  when 
clothed  in  midsummer  and  autumn  time 
with  its  living  green  and  amber  foliage  and 
its  enchanting  rural  scenes.  The  arched 
rock,  known  as  "Portland  Arch"  near  Bear 
creek  is  a  wonderful  natural  curiosity  and 
frequented  by  the  true  lover  of  nature. 
The  hills  along  the  Shawnee  from  Rob  Roy 
to   the  river  are  very   picturesque. 

The  geological  formation  in  this  town- 
ship, named  for  the  tribe  of  North  Ameri- 
can Indians  with  such  a  wonderful  history, 
is  rich  in  its  variety  of  alluvial  soil.     Here 


one  sees  the  rich  dark  deposit,  the  lighter 
clay  subsoil  so  productive  of  annual  crops. 
In  the  west  the  woodlands  abound  in  more 
sand  and  real  clay  soils,  making  an  ex- 
cellent wheat  section. 

This  township  dates  its  first  settlement 
from  1822.  In  the  autumn  of  that  year, 
John  Lopp  entered  the  east  half  of  section 
2  where  Benjamin  Brown  later  resided. 
George  Johnson  also  claimed  a  part  of 
section  twelve.  The  following  year  came 
Abel  Claypool,  Daniel  Peck,  George  Stew- 
art and  John  Galloway.  In  1823  John 
Miller  entered  a  part  of  section  four  and  he 
with  five  brothers,  were  the  founders  of  a 
settlement  on  Coal  creek  known  as  the 
"Miller   Settlement". 

The  town  and  village  within  this  town- 
ship are  Rob  Roy  and  Portland — now 
known   as   Fountain. 


Centennial     Book 


Rob  Roy  was  platted  in  1S26  and  was 
laid  off  in  forty-eight  town  lots.  John  Fos- 
ter, a  lover  of  literature  and  especially 
fond  of  Scott's  novels,  named  the  town  in 
honor  of  the  Scotch  "Rob  Roy".  An  addi- 
tion was  platted  in  1829  by  Hiram  Jones. 
In  1836  it  had  five  dry  goods  stores  and 
four  groceries,  a  hotel,  three  physicians 
and  was  the  center  of  a  very  active  settle- 
ment. At  present  it  consists  of  one  gro- 
cery store  and  only  a  few  houses.  When 
the  Chicago  and  Black  Coal  Railway  cross- 
ed the  township  it  made  it  a  station  point. 

Portland — now  Fountain,  has  a  history 
dating  back  to  April  1828,  when  Major 
Whitlock,     William      Miller     and     Bernard 


Portland    Arch 

Preble  platted  the  town.  It  is  situated  on 
the  Wabash  river  and  was  described  by 
Sanford  C.  Cor  in  his  early  history  writings 
as  one  on  the  list  of  towns  on  the  river 
that  were  ambitious  to  become  the  great 
emporiums  of  trade  on  the  upper  Wabash. 
Keep's  store  was  one  of  the  two  business 
places,  that  furnished  most  of  the  goods 
used  by  the  people  for  a  hundred  miles  up 
and  down  the  river-  Powder,  lead,  salt, 
iron,  whiskey  and  leather  were  the  staples 
of  trade  in  those  days  and  these  were  ex- 
changed for  the  productions  of  the  country 
such  as  beeswax,  tallow,  feathers,  ginseng, 
furs,  deer  skins,  wild  hops,  etc. 


In  the  flight  of  time,  Portland  has  had 
eleven  stores,  a  hotel,  six  physicians,  crafts- 
men of  various  kinds  and  a  considerable 
population.  It  was  a  post  office  town  from 
its  beginning.  With  the  passing  of  years 
and  changes  of  business  in  the  country, 
Portland  was  left  in  the  cold,  and  today 
has  but  a  small  collection  of  houses  and 
not  more  than  fifty  population  recorded  by 
the   last   census. 

About  as  soon  as  the  first  crops  had  been 
gathered,  there  arose  a  demand  for  mills 
by  which  meal  and  flour  could  be  produced 
for  the  pioneers.  The  first  of  these  mills 
were  of  the  corn-cracker  type  and  small 
affairs,  but  answered  the  purpose.  Thomas 
Cox  built  one  of  these  mills  at  the  falls 
of  the  little  Shawnee  river  in  1824.  One 
owned  by  Elisha  Range  was  near  Rob  Roy 
bridge,  one  where  the  Rob  Roy  road  crosses 
the  Shawnee.  Settlers  came  in  for  many 
miles  around  and  greatly  appreciated  these 
corn-crackers.  William  Graham  erected  a 
fulling  mill  and  carding  machine  at  the 
Rob  Roy  bridge  in  1826  and  soon  after 
Daniel  Myers,  a  saw  mill  seventy  rods  down 
the  stream.  Other  saw  mills  were  built 
as  they  were  needed-  The  mill  at  Rob  Roy 
was  built  by  William  Bookwalter  and  A.  I. 
Claypool  in  1870.  With  "iie  march  of  years 
and  the  revolution  in  the  manner  of  grind- 
ing grain  into  flour,  these  mills  have  en- 
tirely been  wiped  from  the  face  of  the 
country. 

The  first  school  house  was  built  in  1824 
near  Coal  creek  on  land  that  George  Stew- 
art entered;  another  was  built  at  Rob  Roy 
in  1828  and  later  one  on  the  north  side  of 
the  Big  Shawnee  on  the  Attica  and  New- 
town road.  These  were  all  built  of  logs  in 
the  pioneer  way.  Among  the  early  teach- 
ers were  John  Bodley,  David  Brier,  Rufus 
A.  Lockwood,  William  Miller,  Mrs.  Mary 
C.  Hovey. 

The  Coal  Creek  Presbyterian  Church  was 
organized  in  1827  and  its  first  pastor  was 
the  Rev.  James  Thomas.  The  first  Metho- 
dist church  was  organized  in  1828  with 
John  J.  Foster  as  first  pastor.  The  first 
U.  B.  church  was  organized  in  1828  by  a 
Rev.   McMahon. 


RICHLAND  TOWNSHIP 

By  Charles  R.  McKinney  and  Joseph  H.  Stahl 


AARON  Hetfield  was  the  first  man  to 
settle  in  Richland  township.  He  came 
from  Elmira,  New  York  and  settled 
where  Newtown  now  is  in  1824.  He  was 
then  thirty-five  years  of  age  and  was  a  tan- 
ner by  trade,  engaged  in  that  business  here, 
and  platted  the  town  of  Newtown  along  the 
south  side  of  little  Shawnee  in  1830.  He 
sold  his  tan-yard  to  Peter  Shultz,  who  emi- 
grated to  Richland  township  from  Highland 
county,  Ohio,  in  1827.     Mr.   Shultz  operated 


the  tan-yard  and  made  harness  and  horse 
collars  and  acquired  about  1,000  acres  of 
land    north   and   west   of  Newtown. 

Thomas  Ogle  and  David  Ogle  settled 
with  their  families  about  March  1825,  and 
are  credited  with  buiding  the  first  houses 
in  the  township.  In  the  same  year  Daniel 
Clark,  Joseph  Hibbs  and  Nathan  Cooper 
settled  near  the  Ogles  and  Cornelius  Ogden 
and  John  Stafford  settled  south  and  west 
of    Newtown.      John    Riffle    settled    east    of 


Fountain    County 


Newtown  in  1825.  A  few  year  slater,  about 
1830,  William  Templeton  built  his  home 
adjoining  Riffle's  and  was  the  first  man 
elected  as  Representative  to  the  General 
Assembly  from  this  township,  and  the  first 
Fourth  of  July  celebration  and  barbacue  in 
the  township  was  held  on  his  place. 

Leonard  Royal  came  to  Fountain  county 
from  Butler  county,  Ohio,  traveling  in  ox 
drawn  wagons,  and  settled  in  Richland 
township,  where  he  died  in  1888  at  the  age 
of  seventy-four  years. 

Jacob   Hawk   and   Nathan   Neal   also   set- 
tled in  1825  southwest  of  Mellott. 
Settlers    Along   Coal    Creek 

Mr.  Beedle,  the  father  of  Isaac  Beedle, 
settled  along  Coal  creek  on  the  east  side 
of  the  township  in  1825  and  Samuel  Archer 
settled  farther  down  the  creek  about  the 
same  time.  He  was  the  father  of  James 
Archer,  who  is  said  to  be  the  first  white 
child  born  in  the  township,  and  the  grand- 
father of  Charles  Archer,  who  is  still  liv- 
ing on  the  same  tract  entered  by  his  grand- 
father over  a  century  ago.  This  land  has 
never  been  tranferred  by  deed,  but  is  owned 
by  its  present  occupant  by  the  law  of 
descent,  a  silent  attestation  of  the  stability 
of  Richland's  population-  In  October,  1826, 
William  McClure  settled  adjoining  the 
Archer  homestead,  and  about  the  same  time 
George  Longmire,  Robert  Tanner  and  Jacob 
Abolt  and  the  Dagger  families  settled  far- 
ther down  the  creek. 

The  immigrants  in  the  territory  north- 
east of  Newtown  came  at  a  little  later  date, 
probably  from  1827  to  1830.  Among  them 
were  John  Hamilton,  a  Mr.  McCollum, 
David  Dodge,  Edward  Summer,  John  Mick, 
James  Meharry,  Jackson  King  ,'atfd  Ellis 
Insley,  the  latter  being  a  man  of'  excellent 
education,  who  left  his  impression  on  the 
community. 

Those  who  came  later  and  had  much  to 
do  with  building  the  township  and  whose 
descendants  are  still  living  in  the  township 
are  the  Coen,  Martin,  McKinney,  Palin, 
Campbell,  Rice,  Low,  Kirkpatrick,  Gray, 
Schermerhofn  Kerr,  McCallister,  Reed,  Car- 
penter, McKnight,  Haas  and  Florey 
families. 

Schools 

The  first  school  in  the  township  was 
taught  in  the  winter  of  1824-25  near  the 
Union  Christian  church,  and  the  next  win- 
ter a  school  was  taught  about  one  mile  west 
of  Newtown  by  George  Taylor.  The  first 
school  in  Newtown  was  taught  by  Amos 
Webster  and  about  1830  Thompson  Mc- 
Kinney, a  teacher  by  profession  and  an  ex- 
cellent grammarian,  taught  school  there. 
Later  a  Miss  Fairchild  of  New  England  cul- 
ture and  education  taught  in  Newtown  and 
made  a  lasting  impression  on  her  students. 
Prior  to  1840  a  log  school  was  built  in  the 
Insley  neighborhood.  Among  the  early 
teachers  were  E.  Sewell,  a  Mr.  Chandler 
and  Mr.  McMillan,  Dr.  D.  K.  Hays,  Mr.  Spin- 
ning, Jackson  King,  and  I.  M.  Coen.     About 


1847  a  brick  school  building  was  erected  in 
this  neighborhood  which  was  named 
"Grandview".  The  first  teacher  in  the  new 
building  was  J-  J.  Schermerhorn,  followed 
later  by  a  very  cultured  New  Hampshire 
lady,  Miss  Sellon,  the  Hon.  B.  Wilson 
Smith.  Josiah  Brown  and  the  last  school 
held  there  was  taught  by  Mrs.  Miralla 
(Coen)  Parrott,  who  still  lives  in  New- 
town. Other  early  schools  were  Oak 
Grove,  east  of  Newtown,  one  south  of  Coal 
creek  and  east  of  Mellott,  and  another 
southwest  of  Mellott  which  later  had  the 
peculiar  name  of  "Get-Away"  school.  Mrs. 
Mary  (McClure)  Riffle  is  no  doubt  the  old- 
est teacher  of  these  schools  now  living  in 
the  township.  These  schools  with  their 
successors,  the  district  schools,  have  all 
passed  into  history,  and  have  been  sup- 
planted by  two  consolidated  high  schools 
at  Newtown  and  Mellott. 
Churches 

The  first  church  organization  was  at  the 
home  of  Peter  Shultz  near  Newtown  in 
1827,  by  the  Rev.  Hackaliah  Vredenburg. 
The  first  official  appointment  of  a  pastor 
was  in  1828  and  Rev.  John  Strange  of 
precious  memory  served  as  pastor.  A  few 
years  later  a  church  was  erected  on  thje 
site  of  the  present  Methodist  church  in 
Newtown,  which  was  remodeled  in  1853 
and  again  in  1867.  Their  structure  burned 
in  1914  and  a  brick  church  was  built  by 
the  congregation  which  has  a  membership 
of  about  120.  Among  some  of  the  early 
leaders  of  this  faith  were  Rev.  J.  J.  Scher- 
merhorn, John  Leatherman,  M.  Bever,  J.  S. 
Martin,  Samuel  Low,  John  Stafford  and 
J.  M.  Voliva. 

December  3,  1827,  the  adherents  of  the 
Presbyterian  faith  met  at  the  residence  of 
William  Miller  and  organized  the  Coal 
Creek  church.  Wm.  Miller,  William  Mc- 
Clure and  David  Parrott  were  the  first 
elders-  Rev.  E.  O.  Hovey  was  the  first  pas- 
tor and  served  three  years.  A  church  was 
organized  in  the  McClure  neighborhood  in 
1835  called  Pleasant  Ridge.  Rev.  John 
Crawford  served  both  churches  until  1841 
when  Rev.  John  Fairchild  became  pastor 
and  erected  the  Newtown  Presbyterian 
Church.  P.  T.  McKinney  was  chosen  clerk 
of  the  session  and  served  until  he  died. 
Later  pastors  were  Alexander  Lemon,  1852- 
58  and  Rev.  S.  B-  King,  1858  to  1873.  The 
church  has  grown  steadily  and  done  much 
to  uphold  the  morals  of  the  community. 

The  first  meeting  toward  establishing 
the  Baptist  church  was  held  at  the' home  of 
William  Davis  in  the  edge  of  Montgomery 
county  on  June  27,  1835.  Elder  Reese  was 
selected  as  pastor  and  the  organization  was 
called  the  Hopewell  Baptist  church.  In  the 
same  year  plans  were  made  to  erect  a 
church  on  the  site  where  the  present 
beautiful  brick  building  stands  in  New- 
town. Elder  C.  J.  Bowles  served  as  pastor 
for  many  years  and  is  revered  by  all  who 
came   in   touch   with   his   ministry. 


Centennial     Book 

WABASH  TOWNSHIP 

By  Mrs.  Sherman  Yerkes 


WABASH  township  was  one  of  the  five 
original  townships  within  Fountain 
county,  and  dates  its  history  from 
July  24,  1S26.  It  is  on  the  west  side  of  the 
county,  and  second  from  the  south  line- 
Possibly  the  earliest  settlement  of  the 
county  was  made  in  this  township.  In  1820 
John  Jarred  came  in  a  canoe  up  the  Ohio 
into  the  Wabash  and  landed  at  what  is  now 
known  as  Tipton  Rock,  near  Cooper's  Ford. 
Other  rovers  coming  at  this  time  were  the 


In  1S39  the  Yerkeses  and  Rhodeses  came. 
The  Colemans,  Robbs  and  others  added 
their  forces  in  an  early  day.  When  John 
Jarred  died  he  had  secured  about  1,000 
acres  around  Cooper's  Ford  which  was  di- 
vided among  his  children;  Abernathys, 
Cooks,  Keerns,  Jarreds  and  others  marry- 
ing into  the  Jarred  family.  Ferguson  and 
Beckelhymer  built  the  first  saw  mill  and 
a  grist  mill  which  were  sold  to  Headley  and 
Kiger,    again    to    Samuel    Snoddy    and   John 


This    covered    wagon   was    made    by    Jacob    Yerkes    and    Jacon    Rhodes    in    1834    and 
brought    them   to    Fountain    County    in    1839. 


Richardsons  and  the  Burks.  The  Graham 
and  Forbes  families  came  into  the  county 
in  the  spring  of  1823  and  settled  on  Gra- 
ham's creek. 

The  first  entry  made  in  the  township  was 
that  of  Daniel  Richardson,  July  12,  1822. 
William  B.  White  erected  the  first  mill  in 
the  county  on  Coal  creek  which  passed  from 
his  hands  in  succession  to  Bishop,  Van 
Dorn  and  Samuel  Cade.  It  was  known  as 
the  Union  Mills  and  was  owned  by  the 
Cade  descendants  as  long  as  it  remained  in 
operation.  It  is  now  an  old  land  mark 
known  as  Cade's  Mill  in  the  east  part  of 
the  township. 

Benjamin  Beckelhymer  bought  a  bottom 
farm.  Isaac  Ferguson,  Washington  Gra- 
ham, Jeremiah  Heath  and  Thomas  Gillam 
came  in  1823.  The  La  Tourette,  Marlatt, 
and  Bodine  families  came  together  in  1829. 


Hardesty,  who,  in  1854  sold  to  George 
Mosier.  The  next  year  Mr.  Snoddy  pur- 
chased and  later  rebuilt.  He  also  built 
two  store  rooms.  In  one  of  the  stores  was 
located  the  postoffice.  These  stores  are 
both  gone  but  the  mill  still  runs  and  is  kept 
by  Walter  Snoddy,  a  great  grandson  of  the 
first  Snoddy  owner. 

John  and  Sarah  LaTourette,  living  in 
New  Jersey  and  other  eastern  sections, 
learned  the  weaver's  trade,  which  trade  has 
been  handed  down  for  five  hundred  years 
from  father  to  son.  Schuyler  LaTourette, 
and  his  brothers  and  sister  spent  the  earlier 
part  of  their  life  in  making  wonderful 
coverlets.  A  few  of  these  coverlets  may 
still  be  found  throughout  the  county  as 
relics  of  a  time  gone  by.  Our  township  al- 
so  boasts   of  an   old    schooner     wagon     in 


Fountain    County 


which  our  forefathers  came  here  from 
Ohio. 

Stringtown,  a  mining  place  close  to 
Snoddy's  Mill,  made  a  rapid  growth.  A 
railroad  ran  through  the  coal  fields  and 
Chicago  coal  and  rolling  mill  companies 
were  interested  in  them.  In  1878  String- 
town  and  Snoddy's  Mill  was  the  scene  of 
a  great  strike  and  riot  among  the  white  and 
colored  miners.  Governor  Williams  was 
telegraphed  to  and  he  sent  a  company  of 
Wabash  Guards  to  restore  order.  "Vicks- 
burg  was  a  thriving  little  town  platted  on 
section  34,  range  9,  June  30,  1831,  by  Robert 
Duncan.  It  is  now  but  a  few  dwelling 
houses.  Bunkertown  was  a  suberb  of 
Stringtown. 

Jane  Cade,  daughter  of  William,  was 
probably  the  first  child  born  in  Fountain 
county,  her  birth  dating  May  30,  1824.  The 
first  marriage  was  that  of  Uncle  Jim  Davis 
and  Sallie  Johnson  in  1824.  They  were 
married  by  Rev.  Hibbs.  Miss  Johnson  was 
a  sister  of  Rev.  A.  R.  Heath's  mother. 

The  first  church  was  in  the  upper  story 
of  a  house  that  still  stands  on  the  Bart 
Graham  farm.  Archibald  Johnson  later 
granted  a  house  for  worship,  known  as  "Old 
Union"  and  the  records  show  that  it  was 
on  a  part  of  the  Jess  Bodine  land.  Possibly 
the  first  school  was  on  the  Enos  Davis  land 
now  owned  by  Jess  Bodine.  The  first 
school-master  was  John  LaTourette,  the 
father  of  Schuyler  LaTourette.  Washing- 
ton Graham  gave  ground  for  Graham's 
Creek  School.  Sherman  Yerkes  has  an  old 
deed  in  which  school-house  district  No.  6 
was  granted  to  Wabash  township  January 
9,  1836.  It  was  here  in  this  school-house 
that  the  first  United  Brethren  Church  was 
founded  in  1867  with  Rev.  Joseph  Cooper 
pastor.  The  present  church,  Wabash 
Chapel,  was  donated  by  the  Yerkeses.  The 
first  minister  was  Rev.  Joseph  Nye,  who 
gave  the  dedication  address  July  17,  1881, 
and  our  present  minister  is  Rev.  Walter 
Brock.  Cooper's  Church  was  one  of  the 
first  built,  a  remodeled  church  still  having 
active  United  Brethren  members.  In  1845 
a  church  was  built  on  the  Robert  Dunham 
land  and  in  1865  Mr.  White  deeded  more 
ground  for  burying  purposes.  The  church 
is  now  defunct  but  is  well  kept  up.  We 
now  have  three  schools:  White's  a  graded 
school  at  Stringtown,  and  Rabb's  school  in 
the  central  part  of  the  township. 

Some  of  Wabash  township  sons  born  of 
parents  who  were  among  the  early  settlers 
are:  J.  M.  Conover,  Fred  LaTourette,  Wal- 
lace Bodine,  Manford  Bodine,  Max  Bodine, 
Tom  Frankenberger,  Jones  and  J.  L. 
Yerkes,  Charles  Ramser,  Roy  and  Homer 
Mallory,  Alex  Johnson,  John  Johnson. 
Frank  Marlatt,  Samuel  Snoddy,  Chas.  and 
Sherman  Yerkes,  Geo.  D.  Snoddy,  Alex 
Grubbs,  Clint  Rhodes,  Morris  Van  Dorn, 
Edward  Rhodes,  William  Yerkes,  Samuel 
Abernathy,  Walter  Snoddy,  and  Stephen 
Abernathy. 


TROY  TOWNSHIP  SCHOOLS 

By  T.  A.  Clifton 

THE  history  of  Troy  township  schools 
in  growth,  development,  and  use- 
fulness, is  not  different  in  general 
from  that  of  other  sections  of  the  county 
and  state,  they  having  kept  pace  with  the 
rapid  changes  which  have  taken  place  as 
the  township  has  emerged  during  the  cen- 
tury just  passed,  from  an  almost  unbroken 
wilderness  to  that  of  a  most  modern  civil- 
ization with  all  that  the  term  implies. 

The  church  and  the  school  are  pioneers 
in  civilization  and  go  hand  in  hand-  In  the 
early  history  of  Troy  township  the  church 
furnished  the  inspiration  for  the  school 
and  the  school  prepared  the  way  for  a  bet- 
ter community  and  church  life;  hence  we 
find  the  church  and  school  house,  the 
preacher  and  teacher  often  identical  in 
pioneer  days,  the  home  of  some  prominent 
pioneer  often  serving  as  both  a  church  and 
school  house  where  church  services  are 
held  and  the  subscription  school  is  taught, 
until  the  commonwealth  has  reached  such 
development  that  the  common  school  takes 
its  place,  and  there  is  developed  the  great 
system,  under  which  our  schools  are  work- 
ing today. 

The  first  schools  of  Troy  township  were 
subscription  schools  taught  by  teachers 
from  other  colonies  or  by  preachers  of 
different  denominations  who  were  pioneer 
church  missionaries,  the  school,  as  later, 
often  taking  its  name  from  the  neighbor- 
hood, or  settlement  in  which  it  was  located. 
Hence  we  have  the  names  of  the  Bend,  the 
Covington,  the  Carwile,  the  Graham,  the 
Brown,  the  Dicken,  the  Ward,  the  Lemon, 
Mead,  McCarty,  etc.,  as  divided  into  dis- 
tricts, under  the  later  laws  which  brought 
into  existence  the  Little  Red  Schoolhouse, 
which  has  produced  so  many  of  Indiana  and 
Fountain  county's  noted  men  and  educa- 
tors. 

In  Covington  and  Troy  township  history- 
credits  William  Robe  as  being  the  first 
teacher,  he  having  taught  short  terms  of 
subscription  school  in  the  temporary  court 
house  located  on  lot  now  occupied  by  the 
Johnson  Oil  Station,  as  early  as  1828.  In 
the  Bend  neighborhood,  what  was  known 
as  the  Buckeye  log  school  house  and 
church  was  erected  as  early  as  1828,  near 
the  Bend  cemetery,  where  early  subscrip- 
tion schools  were  taught,  but  the  names  of 
teachers  have  been  lost. 

In  the  Thirties  and  early  Forties  more 
substantial  log  and  brick  school  houses  be- 
gan to  appear,  one  being  built  near  where 
the  elevator  stands,  and  one  on  what  is 
now  known  as  the  Dickinson  Fruit  Farm, 
these  serving,  together  with  others  erected 
in  the  various  settlements,  until  the  State 
Free  School  law  took  more  definite  form  in 
the  Forties,  and  which  created  by  tax,  a 
fund    for    the    employment    of    teachers    on 


Centennial     Book 


small  pay,  and  made  provision  for  school 
houses,  etc.,  for  a  few  weeks  term  each 
year  under  the  direction  of  the  township, 
many  subscription  schools  still  being 
taught,  some  even  as  late  as  the  Seventies- 

To  overcome  these  early  meager  facili- 
ties the  law  of  1843,  which  provided  each 
county  in  the  state  should  have  a  Semin- 
ary, was  passed,  and  a  suitable  building 
was  built  in  Covington  with  John  Bilsland 
as  contractor  for  the  sum  of  $1,064.00,  but 
the  same  proved  a  failure  and  the  build- 
ing was  later  used  for  the  common  schools 
of  Covington,  until  destroyed  by  fire.  A 
Girls'  Seminary  was  also  erected,  earlier, 
on  the  old  Birch  farm,  just  opposite  what 
is  now  the  Aldridge  farm  home  in  the 
eastern  part  of  the  township,  but  only  sur- 
vived  a   short  time. 

Among  the  list  of  teachers  of  these 
earlier  days  appear  the  names  of  William 
Kinney,  Mrs.  Getsel,  Benjamin  Rankin, 
Rev.  C.  F.  Smith  and  many  others,  who 
when  out  of  school  worked  at  various  call- 
ings. 

In  1862  a  brick  school  house  was  erected 
on  the  site  of  the  former  building,  having 
six  departments,  where  the  present  grade 
building  now  stands,  which  served  Coving- 
ton until  1876.  Among  the  teachers  of  that 
period  appearing  the  names  of  a  Mr.  Comp- 
ton,  Mrs-  Fowler,  Miss  Carrie  Evans,  Mr. 
O'Rear,  Mr.  Patterson,  Miss  Okie  Shockey, 
Ora   Ensminger  and  others. 

In  1876,  a  new  and  more  imposing  struc- 
ture was  erected  on  the  same  site,  John 
McMannomy  and  E.  H.  Nebeker  being  the 
contractors;  J.  Ristine,  J.  T.  Sharon  and 
O.  Boord,  trustees.  This  structure  served 
as  both  a  grade  and  high  school  building, 
until  the  overflow  made  necessary  the  erec- 
tion of  a  two  story,  four  room  brick  build- 
ing, two  blocks  west,  where  the  present 
high  school  building  now  stands,  to  be  used 
by  the  four  lower  grades.  In  1912  on  Mem- 
orial Day,  the  high  school  building  was 
destroyed  by  fire- 

During  the  latter  part  of  the  Seventies, 
a  Summer  Normal  was  also  conducted  in 
this  building  under  the  direction  of  Pro- 
fessors Humphries  and  Coombs  and  for  a 
time  drew  a  large  body  of  teachers  and  stu- 
dents  from   this   and   surrounding   counties. 

The  life  of  the  Normal  was  prolonged 
for  several  years  through  the  efforts  and 
teaching  genius  of  Miss  Olive  Coffeen — 
than  whom  there  has  been  no  greater  in- 
structor in  all  the  history  of  our  county. 
Miss  Coffeen  is  still  teaching  in  the  Cov- 
ington high  school — now,  as  always,  an 
inspiration  to  the  youth  of  our  town. 

Following  the  destruction  of  this  build- 
ing by  fire  in  1912,  the  present  modern 
grade  building  was  erected  in  1912,  with 
M.  Mayer,  A.  T.  Livengood  and  Challen 
Spinning  as  trustees,  which  furnishes 
splendid  quarters  for  the  grade  schools. 
In  the  meantime  a  more  modern  and  com- 
modious   high    school    building     had     been 


erected  in  1910,  at  a  cost  of  about 
$20,000.00,  on  the  site  of  the  four  room 
Primary  building,  razed  to  make  place  for 
the  same,  Dr.  E.  J.  Martin,  Dr.  A.  B.  Car- 
ter, and  Challen  Spinning  then  being  trus- 
tees. To  this  structure  was  added,  in  1923, 
a  gymnasium  and  additional  class  rooms, 
at  a  cost  of  about  $40,000.00,  to  accommo- 
date the  increased  demands,  M.  Mayer,  Lee 
Philpott  and  John  LaTourette,  being  mem- 
bers  of   the   Board. 

This  added  improvement  in  no  wise  came 
too  soon  for  in  1925,  the  township  schools, 
still  five  in  number  were  consolidated,  un- 
der a  new  bill  passed  by  the  1925  General 
Assembly,  with  the  City  schools,  and  now 
all  out  district  children  are  hauled  to 
Covington  by  six  school  hacks,  the  town- 
ship schools  and  property  having  been 
abandoned  and  will  be  sold. 

The  history  of  the  township  schools  has 
been  that  in  common  with  all  other  town- 
ships of  the  county,  and  with  the  present 
trustee,  A.  M.  Hegg,  has  had  a  careful 
supervision  and  a  strong  corps  of  teachers 
up   to  the   hour   of  consolidation- 

To  give  some  idea  of  the  magnitude  of 
the  work  of  the  schools  in  Covington  and 
Troy  township,  under  the  consolidation 
plan,  the  schools  employed  twenty-four 
teachers  last  year,  serving  all  departments 
of  the  work,  at  a  total  salary  cost  of  over 
$32,000  to  which  is  to  be  added  all  over- 
head expense  consequent  thereto. 

Covington  and  Troy  township  has  always 
kept  abreast  with  school  progress,  and  it 
is  safe  to  state,  will  not  lag  behind  in  the 
future  of  educational   work. 


OLD  CANAL  DAYS 

By  Mrs.  Lourissa  Campbell  Allen 

THE  movement  to  build  the  Wabash 
and  Erie  Canal  which  was  intended 
to  cross  Indiana  from  Lake  Erie  to 
some  point  on  the  lower  Wabash  or  the 
Ohio  river,  though  it  met  with  opposition, 
was  made  possible  by  the  sale  of  canal 
lands  to  the  pioneer  farmers  of  the  State, 
the  treasury  being  thus  enriched  sufficient- 
ly to  authorize  the  Legislature  to  make  a 
loan  of  $200,000.00  to  hasten  the  canal 
building. 

Settlers  began  filling  the  new  North  of 
the  State,  immigrants  thronged  into  the 
Wabash  Valley  and  new  towns  dotted  the 
whole  canal  route — thousands  of  men  em- 
ployed at  good  wages  provided  a  market 
for  all  produce.  The  farmers  were  the  dic- 
tators; when  they  could  not  get  land  to 
suit  them  from  the  canal  tract,  they  moved 
into   adjoining    counties. 

In  1S46,  the  Wabash  and  Erie  Canal  was 
finished    to    the    navigable    waters    of    the 


Fountain    County 


Wabash,  and  accounted  for  a  period  of 
marvelous  prosperity  for  Covington. 

To  forward  the  enterprise,  Covington 
merchants  took  in  exchange  for  goods,  a 
large  amount  of  Canal  Script,  which  was 
floated,  the  paper  depreciating  on  their 
hands  to  40  cents  on  the  dollar.  This  left 
many  of  the  merchants  almost  bankrupt. 
However,  the  Fifties  and  Sixties  were 
stirring  days  for  Covington. 

A  wide  street  followed  the  course  of  the 
canal  and  became  a  busy  thoroughfare. 
The  packing  business,  conducted  by  Hardy, 
Sloan  and  Sewell,  was  one  of  the  largest 
and  most  important  businesses  of  this  early 
day.  It  also  created  a  demand  for  packing 
cases,  making  the  cooper  business  profit- 
able. Hooppoles  were  brought  in  large 
quantities  from  the  region  of  Coal  Creek, 
and  the  old  Barkley  Cooper  Shop  became 
a  necessary  adjunct  to  the  shipping  busi- 
ness. 

Straw  hats  were  made  by  Wm.  Crain  in 
his  Hattery. 

Pottery  ware  could  be  bought  at  home, 
at  a  pottery  established  by  one  Beckel- 
heimer,  and  a  flourishing  brick  kiln,  owned 
and  operated  by  Dennis  M.  Smith,  was  able 
to  supply  the  demand  for  that  building 
material. 

John  McKinney  conducted  a  Tannery 
just  south  of  the  present  Dixi  Highway. 

An  Iron  Foundry  and  Woolen  Mill  stood 
on  the  hill  above  and  Grist  and  Flour  Mills 
were  built  along  the  waters  of  the  canal; 
of  the  latter,  the  Everly  and  Sangster 
Mills  were  probably  the  oldest. 

Covington  became  the  greatest  trading 
point  in  all  this  section.  Hotels  were  built, 
always  with  their  accompanying  tavern. 
The  oldest  of  these  was  probably  the 
Hiigel  House,  on  Canal  Street.  Here  Mr. 
Lincoln  found  accommodations  while  here 
on  business  in  the  courts.  The  California 
stood  across  the  canal. 

Transportation  by  water  and  overland  by 
stage  were  the  accepted  modes.  A  Mr. 
Teller  whose  home  was  on  Fourth  street, 
between  Harrison  and  Crocket  streets,  was 
the  owner  and  operator  of  stages  and  canal 
packets,  landing  his  packet  passengers  at 
the  foot  of  Pearl  street.  He  doubtless  was 
responsible  for  getting  some  of  the  mail  to 
Covington,  mail  arriving  twice  a  week  by 
horse  or  stage. 

The  one  time  delightful  river  trip  now 
shared  its  popularity  with  the  new  diver- 
sion of  "Packet  Parties",  with  all  the 
gayety,  accompanying  moonlight  and  rhyth- 
mic motion  that  naturally  attended  upon 
such  pleasure  seeking. 

When  the  Civil  War  came  on,  so  rapid 
had  been  Covington's  progress  that  the 
population  was  almost  as  large  as  it  was 
20  years  later. 

The  completion  of  the  I.  B.  &  W.  from 
Indianapolis  to  Bloomington  from  1869  to 
1871  opened  a  new  mode  of  traffic  for 
Covington,     and     was     really     the     death 


knell  of  the  Wabash  &  Erie  Canal  in  this 
section.  The  last  little  packet  named  the 
"Goodman"  on  November  13,  1875,  made 
the  trip  from  Lodi  to  Lafayette.  From  that 
time,  the  completion  of  the  Wabash  Rail- 
road on  the  north  and  the  I.  B.  &  W.  here, 
the  canal  days  ended  and  all  accompanying 
trade  fell  into  disuse.  Boats,  locks,  ware- 
houses, mills,  woolen  factories,  packing 
houses,  breweries.  With  all  these  gone, 
Covington  was  much  changed,  even  the 
name  of  men  who  had  much  to  do  with  the 
development  and  commercial  life  are  al- 
most unknown  by  these  later  generations 
and  may  have  been  forgotten  in  the  hurry 
and  bustle  of  life,  except  we  read  the  name 
carved  in  the  marble  slab  in  a  nearby 
cemetery. 


BEGINNINGS 

THE  first  tavern  built  by  Joseph 
Rawles,  a  round  log  structure  16x24, 
with  a  clapboard  roof  and  a  puncheon 

floor. 

The  first   store  was  built  by  Joseph   Sloan. 

The  first  ferry,  1826,  at  the  foot  of  Jefferson 
street.  The  first  ferryman  was  Mr.  Bos- 
ton. 

The  first  steamboat,  the  Lawrence,  landed 
in  1827. 

The  first  postoffice  in  1826.  The  first  post- 
master was  Joseph  Sloan. 

The  first  brick  storeroom  was  built  by 
Joseph  Sloan  in  1834. 

The  first  school  house  stood  near  the 
present  site  of  the  Dickinson  Fruit  Farm. 

The  first  town  hall  was  over  the  store  now 
owned  by  Hardin  and  Crain. 

The  first  hatter  was  William  Crain,  1829. 

The  first  tannery  was  built  by  John  Mc- 
Kinney. 

The   first   physician  was   Dr.  Hamilton. 

The  first  lawyers  were  Andrew  Ingrain  and 
Daniel  Rogers,  in  1827. 

The  first  newspaper  was  published  in  1836 
— the  Western  Constellation,  succeeded 
by  The  Peoples  Friend  in  1840. 

The  first  steam  grist  mill  was  built  in 
1836. 

The  first  bank  was  established  by  James 
G.  Hardy,  and  was  the  forerunner  of  the 
Citizen's  Bank. 


ROLL  OF    HONOR 

Revolutionary  soldiers  who  are  buried  in 


Fountain  county: 
John  Bake 
Henry  Bolton 
Capt.   Isaac   Cook 
Enos  Davis 
Jacob    High 
Tobias  Mosier 
Wm.  Osborne 
Jonathan  Osborne 


Thomas  Pearson 
Robert    Mclntyre 
Antony  Rosseau 
Michael    Stotts 
Wm.  Ward 
Thomas  Williams 
Jacob    Youngblood 


Centennial     Book 


OLD  INDIAN  TRAILS 

By  J.  W.  Whicker 

THE  great  ford  was  the  Kickapoo  Ford. 
This  was  wide  and  solid  rock  bottom 
and  in  high  water  this  was  the  only 
safe  ford  between   the  Vermillion  and  Tip- 
pecanoe rivers. 

The  Indian  village  on  the  Langlois  reser- 
vation was  the  last  Miami  Indian  camp  in 
western  Indiana.  The  Tecumseh  trail 
leads  from  Covington  to  this  village. 

The  ford  at  Cicot  landing  was  treacher- 
ous  and    used    only   in   low    water,    so    two 


i 

a. 

3 

¥ 

5 
to 

7 
T 

°i 

it) 

M 

12. 


-fr   3-trrtL 


trails  led  to  the  Kickapoo  ford.  The  mail 
came  over  the  stage  routes  until  the  canal 
was  built  and  James  Town  or  Yankee 
Town,  just  north  of  Shawnee  Creek,  where 
the  Trott  bridges  cross  the  creek  on 
Shawnee  bluff,  had  two  mail  routes  and  it 
was  the  only  town  in  the  county  that  had 
two  mail  routes. 


"THE  OLD  TO WN  BAND" 

By  Dave  Webb 

MY  first  recollection  of  a  band  in  Cov- 
ington was  late  in  the  50's.  I  re- 
member the  old  band  well  and 
thought  it  was  the  finest  on  earth.  Prof. 
William  Lemp,  father  of  the  late  Fauncy 
Lemp,  was  the  fine  old  musician  from 
Switzerland,  who  lived  on  North  Third 
street,  just  above  the  Catholic  church.  He 
was  the  leader  and  the  only  other  mem- 
bers I  remember  were  Casper  Salmon,  who 
played  cornet,  and  Herman  Lemp  and 
Henry  Bender,  who  played  the  tuba.  I  can 
remember  them  marching  by  our  house  and 
have  a  perfect  recollection  of  one  of  the 
pieces,  but  pieces  of  music  were  not  very 
plentiful  at  that  time. 

I  guess  they  went  the  way  of  all  town 
bands  and  the  next  one  was  organized  by 
Peter  Miner  and  his  brother  Voght,  who  at 
that  time,  about  1866,  were  in  the  dry 
goods  business  in  the  room  in  the  Douglass, 
then  Weldon  Block. 

I  can  remember  the  roster  of  this  band, 
Peter  Miner,  Casper  Salmon,  Doctor  Kelley 
and  Ora  Ensminger  were  the  cornetists; 
Bill  Willis,  tenor;  Wick  Crane,  baritone; 
Wm.  Kreusch,  bass,  and  Charlie  Clark, 
drum.  In  the  winter  of  1867,  Frank  Webb 
and  Johnny  Casper  were  added  to  the  cor- 
net section  and  Hardy  Savage  and  Ed  Nel- 
son to  the  alto  section.  They  managed  to 
navigate  the  campaign  of  '68  pretty  suc- 
cessfully on  five  pieces,  which  I  remember 
even  yet  very  well.  They  were  not  very 
difficult  classical  selections,  but  they 
swelled  our  hearts  with  pride  at  that.  I 
remember  Julius  Adler  and  I  used  to  dis- 
cuss our  respective  chances  of  getting  into 
the  band  and  playing  cymbals,  but  our 
youthful  ambition  was  not  gratified.  Charley 
Clark  held  onto  them,  but  I  followed  the 
band  on  my  pony  throughout  its  many  en- 
gagements with  much  pleasure. 

In  the  winter  of  '68,  I  managed  to  dig  up 
the  old  brass  bass  horn  that  Henry  Bender 
used  to  play  back  in  the  50's,  from  the  back 
room,  upstairs  over  his  saloon  and  after 
two  or  three  days  hard  scouring  with  brick 
dust,  ashes  and  vinegar,  we  got  the  green 
off  so  you  could  tell  it  was  made  of  brass 
and  I  proceeded  to  torture  the  neighborhood 
with  my  efforts,  but  I  could  not  pass  mus- 
ter into  the  real  band  until  the  spring  of 
'69,  when  I  was  admitted  to  the  charmed 
circle,  playing  the  B  bass,  which  happened 
to  be  out  of  a  job.  The  first  engagement 
I  played  with  them  was  a  railroad  meeting 
at  old  Chambersburg.  I  have  played  many 
"jobs"  since  then,  but  none  of  them  have 
approximated  to  this   one  in  importance. 

About  1870  Frank  Webb  succeeded  Miner 
as  leader  and  in  1871,  dissensions  having 
arisen  among  the  musicians  as  to  the 
proper     procedure     in     Brass-Banding,     the 


Fountain    County 


younger  element  consisting  of  Frank  Webb, 
Hardy  Savage,  Ed  and  Joe  Nelson  and  my- 
self, recruited  by  Henry  Savage  and 
Harry  Hamilton  and  Tom  Bonnell  on 
drums,  resigned,  revolted,  rebelled  and  or- 
ganized the  Young  America  Band,  bought 
a  new  set  of  instruments  and,  since  there 
is  no  one  living  to  dispute  it,  I  will  say  we 
had  a  real  band. 

All  went  well  until  Frank  Webb  went  to 
Indianapolis  to  study  the  pipe  organ,  and 
being  left  without  a  head,  Young  America 
went  the  way  of  most  town  bands,  until 
about  time  for  the  campaign  of  '76,  when 
I,  having  risen  to  be  somewhat  of  a  cor- 
netist,  re-organized  the  band  with  some  ad- 
ditions and  ran  along  until  1877,  when  I 
broke  in  some  new  material,  Lynn  Spin- 
ning, Harry  Voltz,  George  Meitzler,  Billy 
Henselman  and  John  Clayton,  with  some  of 
the  older  ones,  and  later  Herschel  Gish,  A. 
H.  Isbel,  Duke  Weldon  and  Billy  Morris  ap- 
peared and  we  thought  we  had  some  band. 

In  the  spring  of  1880  I  went  to  Robinson, 
111.,  and  led  the  bands  there  and  did  not 
return  to  Covington  to  live  until  1895.  John 
Casper,  in  the  meantime  had  developed 
into  a  wonderful  cornetist  and  was  in  the 
musical  profession  his  entire  life.  I  have 
heard  most  of  the  celebrated  cornetist's   in 


this  country  since  then,  but  I  never  heard 
any  that  surpassed  John  Salmon  in  his  best 
days.  He  confined  himself  principally  to 
the  regular  profession,  rather  than  push- 
ing himself  to  the  front  rank  of  soloists, 
where  he  belonged,  hence  he  did  not  have 
the  same  publicity,  but  I  will  say  for  Cov- 
ington, that  in  my  estimation,  he  was  the 
peer  of  any  of  them,  and  a  history  of  Cov- 
ington that  does  not  include  John  Salmon 
as  one  of  its  celebrities,  is  not  complete. 

From  1880  to  1895,  I  will  have  to  leave 
to  some  one  better  posted  than  myself,  ex- 
cept to  say  that  Clarence  Lewis  and  his 
Kid  Band  in  the  early  80's  and  Lee  Harter 
and  his  Verein  Band  in  the  latter  part,  held 
up  the  reputation  of  the  Covington  Band 
very  creditably,  I  am  told. 

In  1895,  having  returned  to  Covington,  I 
organized  the  Covington  Concert  Band  with 
Lee  Harter,  Joe  Johnson,  Ross  and  "Kid" 
DeHaven,  Homer  Clawson,  "Paddy"  Miles, 
Pete  Schma,  Leslie  Spence,  Charlie  Kin- 
caid  and  Ed  Diffenderfer,  which  made  up 
the  most  successful  band  that  Covington 
ever  had.  I  left  Covington,  moving  to 
Danville,  111.,  in  1902  and  Lee  Harter  ran 
the  band  for  several  years.  The  happiest 
days  of  my  life  were  spent  with  the  boys 
of  the  "Old  Town  Band." 


^ 


CV 


»<sf 


First   house    in    Attica. 


^'r-'Y1 


Centennial     Book 

THE  OLD  COVINGTON  BRIDGE 

By 

Mrs.  Mark  Rogers 


IN  1850,  John  Adamson,  George  Nebeker, 
Richard  M.  Nebeker  and  Joseph  Foster 
decided    to    build    a    bridge    across    the 
Wabash    river    west    of    Covington,    Joseph 
Nelson,   Sr.,   being  the    engineer   and    archi- 
tect. 

It  was  built  on  three  piers  and  two 
abutments  of  stone,  brought  from  the 
Adamson  quarry,  one  mile  up  the  river, 
on  flat  boats.  The  bridge  proper  was  of 
heavy  poplar  timbers  held  in  place  by  huge 
iron  bolts  and  pins,  with  which  it  was 
keyed  up  in  the  old  truss  architecture,  an- 
other lost  art.  Many  of  these  timbers 
were  drawn  to  position  by  being  tied  to 
Dan's  tail,  who  refused  to  pull  a  pound  in 
harness.  The  bridge  was  of  two  double 
spans  with  a  draw  between  that  raised  and 
lowered  with  huge  iron  weights,  which  may 
be  seen  today  in  front  of  Mark  Rogers' 
home  on  the  hill  west  of  the  bridge. 

It  was  opened  to  the  public  in  1852,  John 
Adamson  astride  his  faithful  black  riding 
horse,  Dan,  was  the  first  to  cross  over. 
Mr.  Bowman  was  employed  to  key  or 
tighten  the  bridge  every  two  years. 


Not  long  after  the  opening,  boats  being 
required  to  whistle  one  mile  above  or  below 
the  bridge,  one  Captain  decided  he  would 
break  down  the  draw,  but  instead  he  de- 
molished his  smokestack.  He  decided  to 
sue  the  bridge  company  and  employed  Dan- 
iel W.  Voorhees,  and  Richard  Nebeker  de- 
fended the  bridge  company.  Needless  to 
say  Nebeker  won  his   case. 

The  shares  were  owned  equally  by  the 
four  men  and  operated  as  a  toll  bridge  to- 
gether with  the  four  mile  gravel  road  lead- 
ing west.  The  rates  were  34c  and  30c  for 
two  horse  vehicles  and  15c  and  13c  for 
horseback  and  5c  for  footmen,  one  way. 
Farmers  were  charged  25c  for  round  trip. 
Only  two  toll  takers  are  living,  John  B. 
Martin  and  Mrs.  Ada  Rogers.  It  was 
a  good,  paying  business  until  the  I.  B.  & 
W.  Railroad,  now  the  Big  Four  was  built. 
It  was  sold  in  1886  to  Fountain  county,  and 
made  a  free  bridge,  all  of  the  shares  ex- 
cept one-sixth  being  owned  by  Nancy 
Adamson. 

It  was  partly  destroyed  by  fire  in  1914, 
after  withstanding  the  great  flood  of  1913. 


Fountain    County 


THE  INDIANA  NORMAL  COLLEGE 

Bv  Miss  Anna  Clawson 


THE   old   Covington   school  building,  on 
the   site  of  the  present  grade  school 
building,   was  built  in  1876,  and  was 
the  third  school  building  to  stand   on  that 


Indiana    Normal   College 


site.    The  first  trustees  were  Judge  Ristine, 
James  Sharon,  and  Oliver  Boord. 

The  Indiana  Normal  College  was  organ- 
ized in  1886  and  opened  in  this  same  build- 
ing. The  first  trustees  were 
Julius  Loeb,  Michael  Mayer,  Sr.r 
John  B.  Schwin,  and  John  W. 
Sullivan.  The  first  President 
was  J.  V.  Coombs,  with  S.  A. 
D.  Harry,  J.  W.  Stotts,  L.  E.  Jones, 
and  Mollie  McMahon  as  instruc- 
tors. The  College  had  a  regular 
teachers'  training  course  and  a 
scientific  course.  The  first  gradu- 
ates from  the  scientific  course 
were  Anna  Clawson,  Jennie  Bodine, 
Mollie  McMahon,  A.  T.  Livengood, 
Garrett  Smith,  and  C.  L.  Shaver. 

The  College  closed  its  doors  in 
the  year  1900.  The  many  former 
students  cherish  the  memory  of 
the  old  Normal  and  will  ever  feel 
the  influence  of  its  training  upon 
their   lives. 

The  old  building  was  used  for 
the  Covington  grade  school  until 
1912  when  it  was  destroyed  by 
fire. 


The  first  brick  school  house  built  in  Foun- 
tain    County.      Located    in    the    Dice 
settlement  in  Van  Buren  township 
and  built  on  ground  donated  by 
Stephen  Reed.    It  is  now  used 
for  a  church  aSd  known 
as  Bonebrake  Chapel. 


Centennial     Book 

COVINGTON 

"A  city  that  is  set  on  an  hill  cannot  be  hid." — Matthew  5:14. 

The  pages  of  my  Book  of  Life,  when  backward  turned  are  fairly  rife  with 
Exploit  and  Endeavor  of  Pioneers  from  Far  Frontiers  whose  Legends  live  Forever. 

The  Past  rises  before  me  like  a  Dream,  revealing  the  Increasing  Purpose  of  the 
Panorama  of  Progress.  I  have  seen — Sturdy  Oxen,  drawing  Covered  Wagons  and 
precious  Human  Freight,  breast  the  waters  of  the  river's  ford;  crude  Ferry  Boats  ply 
from  shore  to  shore;  the  substantial  structure  of  a  Covered  Bridge  spans  the  stream. 
Canal  Packet;  Stage  Coach;  Toll  Gate;  old  Plank  Road;  all  are  glimpsed,  then  fade 
from  the  picture.  The  Blazed  Trail  of  the  Vanishing  American  who  roamed  my 
Wilderness,  becomes  a  great  National  Highway  that  links  me  with  the  outer  world. 

My  Wayside  Inns  and  Town  Taverns  have  re-echoed  with  revelry  and  the  bustle 
of  Transient  Throngs,  that  sought  shelter  and  sustenance  beneath  their  roofs. 

I  have  donned  Gala  Attire,  and  opened  my  gates  to  honor  Notables  of  the 
Nation.  Presidents,  senators  and  eminent  statesmen  have  been  my  guests;  welcomed 
at  Friendly  Firesides,  and  feted  in  the  Hospitable  Homes  of  my  people. 

I  have  cradled  and  cherished  an  Outstanding  Genius;  that  gifted  and  distinguish- 
ed son  whose  Artistry  has  led  him  to  the  portals  of  the  Hall  of  Fame.  And  another 
Eminent  Son  was  called  by  the  President  of  our  great  Commonwealth,  to  a  place  of 
honor  in  the  National  Capital. 

Sons  of  mine,  cruising  the  High  Seas  with  Uncles  Sam's  great  battle  fleets,  have 
followed  the  Flag  around  the  world  to  Foreign  shores,  and  back  to  the  Port  of 
Home;  and  Daughters  of  mine  have  borne  the  Torch  of  Learning  and  Enlightenment 
to  the  far  places  of  the  Orient. 

Built  to  endure,  I  am  Mature.  Time  has  not  touched  me  lightly,  but  I  have 
withstood  the  Storms  and  Stress  of  Formative  Years.  I  have  seen  the  waters  of  my 
Placid  River  grow  turbulent  and  rise  to  flood  tide,  threatening  my  very  foundation; 
and  then  recede,  leaving  me  unscathed  in  my  Place  of  Safety. 

Sorrow  and  Sacrifice  have  been  my  portion,  too.  Again,  and  yet  again  has  the 
Tocsin  of  War  disturbed  my  peace  with  its  dire  summons.  My  streets  have  resounded 
with  the  tramp  of  marching  feet,  as  my  sons  have  answered  the  Call  to  the  Colors. 
Every  conflict  has  taken  its  toll  of  my  Bravest  and  Best.  Through  a  mist  of  tears  I 
salute  their  memories.    Heroes  all;  my  Valiant  Lads! 

I  am  a  City  Beautiful;  a  city  of  Home  Lovers  and  Home  Owners;  thrifty,  ambi- 
tious, typical  Hoosier-American  citizens,  whose  Creed  is  one  of  Courtesy  and  Kindli- 
ness. My  schools,  my  churches,  my  public  buildings  and  modern  facilities  bespeak 
the  Pride  and  Progress  of  a  Cultured  People. 

Rich  in  Traditions  of  the  Past;  secure  in  the  Present,  serenely  I  face  the  Future. 

I  am  a  City  builded  on  a  hill;  and  the  radiance  of  the  Sun,  moving  majestically 
towards  the  Far  Horizon,  falls  upon  me  in  Benediction.     I  am  Covington. 

■ — Jessie  Bright  Herzog. 


Fountain    County 


RICHARD  Henry  Lee  Chapter  Daughters  of  The 
American  Revolution  of  Covington  reserves  this 
page  as  an  appreciation  of  the  willing  assistance 
rendered  by  all  in  the  production  of  the  Fountain  County 
Centennial  Celebration  and  Pageant,  and  in  especial  ap- 
preciation of  the  gracious  gift  to  Fountain  County  by  one 
of   her  best   loved   children. 

Eugene  Francis  Savage,  born  of  our  best  pioneer  stock; 
as  a  boy,  dreaming  of  fame  along  the  placid  Wabash;  as 
a  man,  realizing  those  dreams  to  their  fullest  extent; 
designed  the  cover  for  this  booklet,  in  honor  of  the  one 
hundredth    anniversary   of   his   county's   birth. 

By  the  exercise  of  his  genius  'he  has  brought  honor  to 
us  all,  and  we  thank  him  for  this  kindly  expression  of 
his  affection  for  the   place   of   his   nativity. 


Centennial     Book 


Following  is  a  list  of  the  General  Committees  of  the  Centennial  Celebration  and  Pageant. 
About  One  Thousand  other  residents  of  the  county  assisted  as  participants  in  the  Pageant  and 
as   members   of   sub   committees   in   the   various   townships. 

RECEPTION— Judge  O.   B.   Ratcliff.   Chairman 


J.    Shannon    Nave 
O.    S.    Douglass 
Russell    C.    Allen 
Lee   Whitehall 
James   Cook 
Hardy   Dice 
V.    E.    Livengood 
H.   C.   Wysong 
A.    M.    DeHaven 
Robert    Campbell 


Allen    Boord 
Charles    Bergdahl 
Thomas    Purdue 
Will    B.    Reed 
David    S.    Ferguson 
Walter   M.    Moore 
Louis    M.    Dunlap 
Lyle    D.    Hegg 
Mont    Boord 
Morris    Herzog 


George    P.    Schwin 

J.    Frank    McDermond,    Jr. 

Mrs.    Ethel    Davidson 


Mrs.     Stewart    Carwile 
Prior   Cates,   Sr. 
Mrs.    William   B.    Gray 
Charles    Hallett 

Mrs.    V.    E.    Livengood 

Ethel   Reed 
Miss  Amy   Funk 
Sara    Galloway 


James   J.    Williams 

Bert   Page 

William    B.    Coleman 

Frank    Smith 

Finis    E.    Drake 

Sherman    Strader 

Joseph    N.     Miller 

C.   Lewis   Green 

William   W.   Layton 

Michael    Mayer 
PUBLICITY— Mrs.  J.   Earl   Romine,   Chairman 

Clarence    W.    Nelson  William   I.    Boggs 

Thomas   A.    Clifton  Isaac    T.    Sollers 

Mis.    Clarence   W.    Nelson  Claude    Williams 

Erasmus    Parrett 
HOMECOMING— Mrs.    William    B.    Coffing,    Chairman 


William    N.    White 
James   A.    Coats 
E.    Scott    Booe 
Charles    E.    Huff 
William    B.    Coffing 
Albert    C.    Roberts 
Lee    Philpott 
Anson  G.   Madden 
Henry   I.    Starnes 


Elba    Brown  Harry    Glascock 

Mrs.    James    H.    Laird       Mrs.    E.    M.    Boord 
Dan   Gray  A.    L.    Spinning 

John   W.    Frazier  William    A.     Wright 

CENTENNIAL    BOOK— Mrs.    Worth    Reed,    Chairman 
Mrs.    S.    Lambright  Charles    Belles  Evan    W.    Heath 

BIRTHDAY   CAKE  -Miss   Jess   DeHaven,   Chairman 


Frank    Luke 
Ora   S.    Clark 
Elma    Marshall 
Mrs.    Will    Ritchey 


Mrs.    Charles    Ramser         Peter    Ost 

Mrs.    J.    Shannon    Nave     Mrs.    Pearl    Moser 


Lelia    Bilsland 


Mrs.    Warren    A.   Randolph 

RELICS— Mrs.    N. 
Charles    A.    Baldwin 


Mrs.    Elmer   Leas 


Mrs.    Freeman    Osborn 
Mrs.   E.    Scott  Booe 
Mrs.     Gordon    Moffett 


Mrs.    Fred    LaTourette 
Fred   Randolph 
W.    H.    Myers 
Mrs.    Frank    Baird 


Thomas    Shultz 
Mrs.    Mont    Boord 
E.    M.    Laird 


Isabelle    Hannah 
Charles    L.    Robb 


G.    Harlow.   Chairman 
Karl   VanDevanter 
D.    C.    Shoaf 

Mrs.    Charles   W.    Zeigler      N.    G.   Harlow 
Mrs.   H.    C.   Cronkhite 
COMMUNITY  DINNER— Mrs.  J.    W.   McMahon,   Chairman 
Mrs.    Theron    Coffing      Mrs.    Ferrell    Williams  Mortimer   F.    Steely  Charles    Dicken 

Mrs.   R.    D.    North  Mrs.   J.   Frank  McDermond,  Jr.  Mrs.    Anson   G.    Madden    Charles   E.   Huff 

Smith    Myers  Mrs.    Edna    Metsker  Mrs.   Helen   Poe  Mrs.    Bessie   Hurst 

Mrs.    Alex    Johnson         Mrs.    Frank    Helms  Affie    Hannah 

OLD   MELODIES   CONCERT— Mrs.    W.    H.    Lykins,    Chairman 
Mrs.    H.    C.    Wysong  Marie   Luke  Ora    Livengood  O.    R.    Kerr 

PARADE— Mrs.    A.    M.    DeHaven,    Chairman 
William   B.    Gray  William    I.    Boggs  Fred    Reid 

Mrs.    James    J.    Williams    Fred   LaTourette  Russell    Campbell 


R.  H.  McKinney 
Dan   Shoup 
Doan    Helms 

Charles    L.    Belles 

Julian    Oblinger 
Mrs.    Frank    Neikirk 
Charles   Isley 
Samuel    VanDorn 


Mrs.   H.    G.   Ost 
Mrs.     Elbert    McKee 


Mrs.    James    A.    Coats 
Sherman    Dwiggins 


Fred    Lindley 
James  J.   Brown 
Harry    Towell 
Monroe    Haas 


PAGEANT— Frank    Shelby,    Chairman 
Samuel     VanDorn  Charles    Massey 

REUNION— Mrs.    Oscar   Kerr,    Chairman 


W.    H.    Crumley 
Will    Colvert 
Joe   Starkey 


O.    W.    McGaughey 
Mrs.    Joe    Britt 
Hardy   Conover 


Mrs.  Fred  Johnk 
Charles  C.  Wert 
Earle   M.   Myers 


Mrs.    O.   S.   Douglass 
Dan   Clem 
Mrs.    Ada    Rogers 
H.    G.   Ost 


Mrs.   S.   Lambright 
Roy  Smith 
H.  K.  Bilsland 


DECORATION— Charles   Massey.   Chairman 
Ralph    Harden  Guy    Hendrix  Arthur    Romine 

Assisted   by   the   Boy    Scouts 
OLD   DOLLS   AND   PHOTOGRAPHS     Mrs.    William   B.   Dunlap.    Chairman 
Mrs.     Frank    Shelby  Zola   DeHaven 

COSTUMES— Mrs.    Dan    V.    Clem,    Chairman 
Mrs.    Caroline   Adamson  Mrs.    William    B.    Coleman  Mrs.    Samuel    VanDorn 

Mrs.    Jennie    Snoddy  Mrs.    Frank    Luke  Mrs.   Ned    Bodine 

Mrs.    Elmer    Smith  Mrs.    Thornton    Hunt 

COURTESY— Mrs.   Belle   Bilsland,    Chairman 
Ferrell    Williams  J.    W.    McMahon 

Mrs.    Roy    Smith  William    B.    Dunlap 

Thornton    Hunt  E.    M.    Boord 

Mrs.    I.~na   Schoonover      Fred   Johnk 

SPEAKER— Courtney   W.    Dice.    Chairman 
The    members    of    the    Fountain    County    Bar    Association    assisting 
CHAIRMAN    IN    CHARGE    OF    THE    CENTENNIAL    QUEEN    CONTEST 
Jackson— Mrs.    Charles    Hallett:    Millcreek — Delia    Ratcliff;    Fulton— Warren    A.    Randolph; 
Wabash — Mrs.  Max  Bodine  ;  Cain — Mrs.   Frank  Deth  ;  Van  Buren — Mrs.   James  A.   Coats  ;  Troy — 
Mrs.    C.    W.    Dice;    Richland — Mrs.    Thed    McKnight ;    Shawnee — Mrs.    Lee    Foster;    Logan — Mrs. 
Glenn    Harrison  ;   Davis — Miss   Amv    Funk. 

COVINGTON    CHAMBER   OF   COMMERCE 
W.    H.    Lykins  J.    Earl    Romine  O.    R.    Kerr 

HISTORIANS 

County    Historian — Clarence    W.    Nelson 

Jackson — Esten    Goodin  ;    Millcreek — Alonzo   H.    Lindley  :    Fulton — Joseph    Starkey  ;    Wabash — 

Mrs.    Sherman    Yerkes ;    Cain — John    F.    Davidson :    Van    Buren — Mrs.    Harry    Glascock  ;    Troy — 

Miss  Harriet  Carwile  and  Mrs.  John  B.   Martin  :  Richland — Charles   R.  McKinney  and  Joseph  H. 

Stahl  ;   Shawnee — Mrs.    A.   T.    Claypool  ;    Loian — J.    Wesley    Whickear ;    Davis — Miss    Linda    Earl. 


Fountain     County 


FOUNTAIN  COUNTY  BAR  ASSOCIATION 


Oliver   W.    McGaughey 
John  P.  Brissey 
Robert  H.  McKinney 
Forrest   E.  Livengood 


President 

Vice-President 

Secretary 

Treasurer 


Omer  B.  Ratcliff,  Presiding  Judge  Fountain  Circuit  Court 


V.   E.   Livengood,   Covington 
Evan  W.  Heath,  Covington 
Oliver  S.  Jones,   Covington 
O.   B.  Ratcliff,   Covington 
O.  S-   Douglass,  Covington 
Claude  B.  Philpott,  Covington 
Charles   E.   Massey,   Covington 
Forrest  E.  Livengood,  Covington 
Lindley   P.   Little,   Covington 
W.    A.    Tipton,    Covington 
James   G.   Jones,   Covington 
Robert  H.   McKinney,  Covington 
John   B.   Martin,   Covington 
C.  W.  Dice,  Covington 
Lucas   Nebeker,   Covington 
W.  N.  White,   Covington 
A.   T.  Livengood,   Covington 
J.  M.  Wilkey,  Covington 


C.  Lewis  Green,  Attica 
Will  B.  Reed,  Attica 
J.  Wesley  Whicker,  Attica 
Lee  Whitehall,  Attica 
Fred  S.  Purnell,  Attica 
J.  E.  Rodenbeck,  Attica 
J.  Shannon  Nave,  Attica 

O.  W.  McGaughey,  Veedersburg 
Forrest   Wallace,    Veedersburg 
John  P.  Brissey,  Veedersburg 
Noah  M.  Teegarden,  Veedersburg 
L.  O.  Marshall,  Veedersburg 

Joseph  H-  Stahl,  Newtown 

John  F.  Davidson,  Hillsboro 
Harvey    McBroom,    Hillsboro 


Centennial     Book 


THE  LAFAYETTE  LIFE  INSURANCE 
COMPANY 


LaFayette 


;itltS.65  «» 
■HSS5655S 


I* 


**: 


Indiana 


COMPANY'S   BUILDING 


Unless  You  Take  Life  Insurance 


When  You  Don't  Need  it, 


You'll  Not  Have  Any 


When  You  Do   Need  It. 


W.  W.  Lane 


Secretary 


A.  E.  Werkhoff 

President 


D.  F.  SMITH,  Agency  Manager 

COVINGTON 


Fountain     County 


D.     H.     WALLACE 

Drugs 

Extends  Greetings  at  Termination  of 
36   Years 

— having  been  under  the  same 
management  and  in  the  same  loca- 
tion for  all  that  time. 

VEEDERSBURG,  INDIANA 


FRED     KAY 

Groceries 

and 

Home  Killed  Meats 


NEWTOWN, 


INDIANA 


When  better  Automobiles  are  built, 
BUICK  will   Build  Them. 

J.      J.    RICE    &    SON 
Attica,  Indiana 


Hearty  Congratulations  to  Every- 
one Assisting  in  Commemorating  the 
Birth   of  our   Splendid  County. 

May  Success  attend  their  efforts, 
is  the  wish  of 

JOSEPH    J.    RICE 
Attica,  Indiana 


Centennial     Book 


SHERMAN    DWIGGINS 
President 


EARL    D.    ROBISON 
Secretary 


CHAS.    L.    MEHARRY 
Vice    President 


Richard     E.     Smith 
H.    R.    Wishburn 


ELEANOR    KEYS 
Pianist 

DIRECTORS 

Beno    Scheidler 
C.    V.    Sorensorf 


GLEN    M.    JONES 
Treasurer 

FLOYD    E.    POSTEN 

District   Trustee 


A.    W.    Harris 
John    W.     Henry 


Attica  Kiwanis  Club 

ATTICA,  INDIANA 


With  faith  in  our  motto   "We  Build"   we,   as 
Kiwanians  believe  that: — 

"So  long  as  men  be  on  earth 

There  will  be  tasks  for  them  to  do, 
Some   way    for    them    to    show    their    worth; 
Each  day  shall  bring  its  problems  new. 

All  men  shall  dream  of  mightier  deeds 
Than  ever  have  been  done  before; 

There  always  shall  be. needs 

For  men  to  work  and  struggle  for." 


Paul  Benedict 
J.   R.   Burlington 
Orie  S.  Clark 
Jas.  A.  Coffing 
Armstrong  Colvert 
Wm.   R.   Campbell 
Thos.   B.   Crigler 
Edward  L.   Clow 
Sherman   Dwiggins 
Geo.  C.  Dickey 
J.  Carl  Freed 
C.  Lewis  Green 
Roy   J.   Harrison 
Glen  W.  Harrison 
Aratia   W.   Harris 
Wallace   Haworth 
John  W.   Henry 
John   M.   Honan 
Paul  Hoover 
Chas.  Hurych 
Jos.    W.    Harrison 
Chas.  T.  Jacobson 
Glen   M.   Jones 


Alvin   R.    Ken- 
Fay  Keys 
Eleanor  Keys 
L.  G  .Martin 
Paul  Martim 
T.  V.  Marshall 
Ira   M.   Means 
Chas.   L.   Meharry 
Orie    E.    Milligan 
Wm.   F.   Mullinix 
James  B.  Muir 
J.  Frank  McDermond,  Jr. 
J.   Shannon   Nave 
Russell    Newlin 
Max  Newmark 
Bernard   S.   Orr 
Floyd  E.  Posten 
Wm.  I.   Posten 
Wm.    H.    Powers 
C.  W.  Power 
Fred  S.   Purnell 
Fay   Pickcn 
Jesse   W.    Rhodes 


Dan   C.   Reed 
Earl   D.    Robison 
Carl  Rico 
John  C.   Ritzie 
Benj.   H.   Repp 
Harry  Schwartz 
Richard  E.   Smith 
W.   B.   Schcrmerhorn 
C.  V.  Sorenson 
Paul   R.   Sullivan 
Beno    Scheidler 
Louis  H.   Stewart 
W.   V.   Stanfield 
Earl   E.    Tompkins 
Wm.   H.   Tinsman 
Barney  Tibbetts 
Harry   VanDeventer 
H.   R.   Washburn 
Lee   Whitehall 
John  B.  Wilber 
Dan   R.    Young 
Chas.   A.   Zeigler 


Fountain    County 


1894 


1926 


The  Leader 


The  Oldest  Department  Store  in  Fountain 
County,  was  Established  on  the  Eighteenth 
Day  of  August,  Eighteen  Hundred  and 
Ninety-four,  and  has  bee  1  successfully  con- 
ducted for  a  period  of  Thirty-two  Years. 
The  Success  achieved  has  been  due  to  the 
co-operation  and  patronage  of  this  Progres- 
sive Community,  and  I  hereby  wish  to  ex- 
press my  sincere  appreciation. 


M.  HERZOG 


Centennial     Book 


COVINGTON 

EXTENDS  A  SINCERE,  HOOSIER  WELCOME  TO  EVERY- 
ONE  ATTENDING   THE    CEREMONIES    AND    THE 
PAGEANT    IN    CELEBRATION     OF     THE 
CENTENNIAL  OF  FOUNTAIN 
COUNTY. 

OFFICIAL  FAMILY 

Joseph  N.  Miller,  Mayor  Chas.  A.  Baldwin,  Clerk-Treasurer 

Samuel  Adams,  Schuyler  L.  Cates, 

Councilman  at  large  Councilman    Second   Ward 

William  B.  Coffing,  William  Ryan   Hussey, 

Councilman  at  large  Councilman    Third   Ward 

Ralph  W.  Harden,  M.   F.   Steely, 

Councilman   First  Ward  Street   Commissioner 

POLICE  DEPARTMENT 
Charles  E.  Ray,  Chief  of  Police  Isaac  B.  Clawson,  Night  Police 

HEALTH  DEPARTMENT 

Dr.  Alva  L.  Spinning,  City  Health  Commissioner 

Dr.  Charles  C.  Wert  L.  Guy  Faust 

John  Powell,  Sanitary  Police 

FIRE  DEPARTMEN1 

Joseph  A.  Wirth,  Chief  Fire  Department 
Floyd  Cade  Charles    A.    Tittle 

Jack  Moore  Lloyd  Twiddy 

Sherman  Smail 

LIGHT  AND  WATER  DEPARTMENT 

John  Koebler,  Superintendent 
Charles  P.  Lyons,  Foreman  Carrie  Coffing,  Collector 

BOARD  OF  TRUSTEES 

Covington  and  Troy  Township  Consolidated  School 

Ira   Coffing,   President 

William  H.  Lykins,  Ireasurer  Albert  M.  Hegg,  Secretary 

H.  C.  Wysong,  Superintendent  of  Schools 


Fountain    County 


1881  1926 

THE  MAYER  HARDWARE  CO. 

Founded    by    Michael    Mayer, 

one  of  the   County's   foremost 

Merchants. 

To  men  of  his  character   and 

ability,  is  due  the  growth  and 

development      of      our       fair 

County. 


M.  MAYER 


L.  GUY  FAUST 


Covington,   Indiana 


1889 


1926 


THIRTY-SEVEN  YEARS 

Of   Service  to   the  People   of   Foun- 
tain and  Adjoining  Counties. 

"Quality"   and   "Service"    made   this 
record  possible. 

OST     &     DAVIS 

Grocers  ... 


As  Covington  welcomes  you  to  the 
Fountain  County  Centennial,  so 
do  we  welcome  you  to  our  store. 

Our  pride  is  not  so  much 
in  age  as  in  accomplish- 
ment. 

SMITH     &    KREUSCH 


Covington, 


Indiana 


Covington, 


Indiana 


Centennial     Book 


HUB  SAVINGS  AND  LOAN 
ASSOCIATION 

Veedersburg,    Indiana 

OFFICERS    AND    DIRECTORS 
W.    F.    Purnell        .  .  •  President 


J.    Milo    Cool; 
Geo.   S.   Glover 
N.     M.    Teegarden 


Secretary 
Treasurer 
Attorney 


DIRECTORS 

W.    F.    Purnell 
J.    Milo   Cook 
N.    M.    Teegarden 
Eerie    E.    Glover 
Dr.    E.    W.    Kirk 
A.    W.    Holmes 
Vern    M.    Miller 
Organized    1911 
To'.al    Resources,    $185,000.00 


J.     W.     BURGNER 

Independent   Garage 
Radios — Tires — Accessories      of 

All  Kinds — Expert  Repairing — 
Wrecking  Crane  Service. 

Garage  Phone  102       Res.  Phone  291 
VEEDERSBURG,   INDIANA 


CITIZENS  SAVINGS    AND   LOAN 
ASSOCIATION 

of  Covington,  Indiana 

"Just  Passed  Its   First  Milestone" 

Watch  It  Grow! 

"You    get    ahead    by    saving — not 
spending."     Start  Now. 

OFFICERS    AND    DIRECTORS 

T.  E.  Rainer,  Pres.;  C.  C.  Wirt,  Vice- 
Pres.;  N.  G.  Harlowe,  Sec;  John 
LaTourette,  Treas.;  C.  W.  Dice,  Atty. 
J.  N.  Miller,  Jesse  Smith  O.  R.  Kerr, 
L.   G.   Faust. 


HARDEN       &     CRAIN 

Hardware — Electrical    &    Radio 

Supplies — Valspar     Stains     and 

Enamels. 

Plumbing  &  Heating 

Phone  19 

Indiana 


Fountain    County 


To  the  Memory  of 

THOMAS  J.   RATCLIFFE 

and 

BARBARA  GRAY  RATCLIFFE 

Pioneers   of 
Millcreek  Township 

Cedella    Ratcliffe 
Capitola    Ratcliffe    Lindley 


To  the  Memory  of  the  Strong- 
Hearted,  the  Pioneer  Men  and 
Women,  who  Established  Their 
Homes  and  Brought  Civiliza- 
tion to  that  Part  of  the  Valley 
of  the  Wabash  known  as 
Millcreek   Township. 

A.  H.  LINDLEY 

Joint    Senator,    Fountain,    Warren 
and  Vermillion  Counties. 


W.  E.  Rider  D.  C.  Moore 

W.  M.  Moore 

COVINGTON  GRAIN  CO. 

Dealers  in 

All  Kinds  of  Grain,  Grass 
Seeds  and  Feed 

Elevators    at    Covington    and    Foster 
Established    1912 

Phone  72 


MAY  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 

Forge  ahead  and  develop, 
May  its  people  prosper 
and  enjoy  the  fruits  of 
their  labor,  during  the 
next  one  hundred  years,  as 
they  have  during  the  Cen- 
tury just  closing. 

CHARLES  A.  ROBINSON 


Centennial      Book 


FARMERS-MERCHANTS     STATE     BANK 
Attica,  Indiana 

First   National   Bank   of   Attica,   established    1S64 
Succeeded   by  Farmers   &   Mercnants   Bank,   1S84 
By  Farmers  &  Merchants  State  Bank,  1904 
Succeeded  by  Farmers-Merchants  State  Bank,  1904 

NEARLY   63    YEARS    CONTINUOUS   BANKING   SERVICE 

Capital    $75,000.00 

Surplus    30,000.00 

RESOURCES   OVER   ONE    MILLION   DOLLARS 


CHARLE  W.  ZEIGLER,   President 
WILLIAM  H.  YOUNG,  Vice-President 


B.   S.   ORR,   Cashier 

KATHERINE  LEMPER,  Ass't.  Cashier 


DIRECTORS 

Charles  W.  Zeigler  B.  S.   Orr 

William  H.   Young 

William   Zeigler 

J.  Shannon  Nave 


Will   B.  Reed 


Dan  C.  Reed 


SCHLOSSER  BROTHERS 

For  over  forty  years  Schlosser's 
Service  has  regularly  delivered 
cream  checks  to  dairy  farmers  of 
Indiana. 

The  quality  of  Schlosser's  Oak 
Grove  butter  increases  the  de- 
mand for  dairy  products  and  has 
done  much  to  bring  Indiana  to 
where  she  now  stands  as  a 
Dairy    State. 

SCHLOSSER   BROTHERS 

Since  1884 


ZEIGLER'S  DRY    GOODS    STORE 


Att 


ica 


Established  July  4,  1842 


Attica's  Foremost  Store  for 
Over  84  Years. 


CHARLES  W.  ZEIGLER 
Proprietor 


Fountain    County 

CODE  OF  ETHICS 

Adopted  by 

THE  CHAMBER  OF  COMMERCE 

Covington,    Indiana 

To  do  our  full  share  in  promoting  all  things  that  are  for  the  good  of  the  community. 

To  deserve  the  patronage  of  this  community  by  rendering  service  based  upon  the 
highest  standard  of  truth  and  honor. 

To  earn,  establish  and  maintain  a  reputation  for  giving  maximum  values  and  one 
price  to  all. 

To  adjust  promptly  any  cause  of  dissatisfaction  and  endeavor  to  make  every  pur- 
chaser a  satisfied  customer. 

To  avoid  any  exaggeration  or  misrepresentation  in  word  or  inference  so  that  cus- 
tomers will  never  be  led  to  expect  more  in  goods,  quality  or  service  than  we  actually 
deliver. 

To  advise  every  customer  in  regard  to  each  purchase  as  we  would  wish  to  be 
advised  were  we  the  purchaser. 

To  make  every  transaction  a  stone  in  the  foundation  of  CONFIDENCE,  without 
which  no  business  can  be  permanently  successful. 

To  endeavor  to  apply  the  principles  of  the  GOLDEN  RULE  to  our  everyday  busi- 
ness transactions. 

Subscribed  to  by  the  following  members: 


Ed  Albea 
Samuel  Adams 
Chas.  O.  Bergdahl 
Thomas   Bodine 
Harry  E.  Bodine 
M.   Boord 
Wm.   E.    Bilsland 
James   Burford 
Schuyler  Cates 
Thos.   A.    Clifton 
Mont  L.   Crain 
Wm.   B.   Coleman 
Albert    Davis 
A.   M.   DeHaven 
Wm.   Derringer 
Doane  &  Son 
Chas.  H.   Dicken 
Ed   Evans 
Mont  C.   Faust 
L.  Guy  Faust 
David   S.  Ferguson 
Allen   E.   Gamble 
Wm.  B.  Gray 


Fred  Griffith 
Wm.   Haley 
N.   G.  Harlow 
O.  G.  Hay 
L.  D.  Hegg 
D.  G.  Hendrix 
Marx   Herzog 
Loran   Holland 
Chas.    Hutchinson 
L.   Gilbert   Jones 
O.   R.   Kerr 
John    LaTourette 
W.   W.  Layton 
V.   E.    Livengood 
F.    E.   Livengood 
W.   H.  Lykins 
Jas.   P.   Martin 
Luke   E.   McGeorge 
W.    R.    Massey 
Chas.   E.   Massey 
M.   Mayer 
Joseph  N.   Miller 
Robt.    H.    McKinney 


Walter   M.   Moore 
Chas.    A.    Morgan 
C.   W.   Nelson 
Lynn    Norris 
Peter   Ost 
H.  G.  Ost 
T.    E.    Rainier 
O.   B.   Ratcliff 
Chas.  Ray 
Chas.  L.   Robb 
J.   E.   Romine 
Geo.   P.   Schwin 

0.  A.  Sheaks 
Harry  Shuler 
Frank    D.    Smith 

1.  T.  Sollers 

A.    L.    Spinning 
Ralph    Sullivan 
Samuel    VanDorn 
C.    C.   Wert 
Ferrell   Williams 
J.    M.   Wilkey 
H.   C.  Wysong 


Centennial      Book 


L.   H.   ELLIS 


MONT   BOORD 


BE  TRUE  TO  YOURSELF 


Buy   Furniture   of   L.   H.    ELLIS    &    CO. 
where  your   Money  buys   the   most. 


LET  US  SHOW  YOU 


L.    H.    ELLIS    &    CO. 


Covington, 


Indiana 


Records 

in 

Stone 


'Let  your  memorial  be  an  expression 
of  your  ideas  and  taste.  Build  while 
you  live.  Safeguard  your  identity  for 
centuries  to  come.' 

MEMORIAL    ARTS    CO. 

409-411  East  Main  St. 


DANVILLE,       ILLINOIS 
Phone  96 


Fountain    County 


THE    FOUNTAIN    COUNTY    BAR 

Any  sketch  of  the  Fountain  County  Bar  must  mention  some  of  the 
most  distinguished  men  of  America.  Among  these  was  Edward  A.  Hanne- 
gan,  the  second  prosecutor  of  the  circuit,  and  the  only  one  that  ever  suc- 
ceeded in  getting  a  death  sentence  against  a  prisoner  in  this  county.  Later, 
on  May  6,  1862,  while  a  candidate  for  the  presidential  nomination  with 
little  opposition,  he  killed  his  brother-in-law,  which  ended  his  campaign  and 
resulted  in  the  nomination  and  election  of  Franklin  Pierce.  Gen.  Lew 
Wallace  was  then  prosecutor  of  the  circuit.  He  started  in  the  practice 
here,  had  known  Hannegan  all  his  life,  and  resigned  rather  than  prosecute 
Hannegan,  and  moved  to  Crawfordsville  to  get  away  from  resulting  criti- 
cisms. Senator  Voorhees  had  just  started  in  the  practice  here,  and  was 
appointed  Wallace's  successor.  The  grand  jury  failing  to  indict,  Hannegan 
was  discharged  Sept.  18,  1852.  Isaac  A.  Rice  another  member  of  this  bar 
and  editor  of  a  paper  here  criticizing  such  failure  moved  to  Attica  with  his 
paper  to  get  away  from  the  effect  of  such  criticisms.  That  paper  is  now 
the  Attica  Ledger-Tribune.  Afterwards  Voorhees  moved  to  Terre  Haute 
following  his  defeat  for  Congress. 

In  Covington  were  also  Ristine,  auditor  of  state  two  years,  Davidson, 
judge  of  the  circuit  court  twelve  years,  Dice,  supreme  court  reporter  eight 
years,  Wood,  Tyler,  McWilliams,  Mallory  .Stillwell,  Cambern,  Dochterman 
and  others.  Following  these  and  contemporary  to  some  of  them  are  Tipton, 
Nebeker,  Lindley,  Lewis,  Sims,  Bingham,  McCabe  and  Remster.  Tipton 
is  now  in  his  94th  year  and  has  quit  the  practice.  Nebeker  recently  testify- 
ing to  the  value  of  certain  fees,  after  giving  his  name  and  occupation,  was 
asked  how  long  he  had  been  in  the  practice.  He  answered,  "Sixty  years". 
From  present  indications,  he  may  continue  another  sixty  years.  Lindley 
and  Lewis  are  deceased.  Sims,  Bingham,  McCabe  and  Remster  are  located 
elsewhere,  but  still  winning  laurels. 

At  Attica  were  the  Rices,. the  elder  Milfords,  Buchanan,  Poole,  Schoon- 
over,  judge  of  this  circuit  twelve  years,  and  C.  R.  Milford,  judge  of  this 
circuit  about   eighteen   months. 

In  Veedersburg  were  Baker,  Billings,  Lemon,  Marshall  and  Hesler. 
And  at  Newtown  were  the  Volivas.  Others  equally  prominent  in  various 
parts  of  the  county  could  be  mentioned.  O.    B.    RATCLIFF,   Judge. 


R.  G.  Mackemer 


I.   M.  Means 


MACKEMER    &    MEANS    LUMBER 
COMPANY 

Lumber,   Building   Material, 

Builder's    Hardware    and 

Coal 

WHOLESALE     AND    RETAIL 

ATTICA,  INDIANA 


Attica,    Ind. 
Williamsport,    Ind. 
Oxford,    Ind. 
Watseka,    111. 


YARDS: 

Iroquois.    111. 
Glassford,   111 
Table    Grove,    111. 
Hanna    City.    III. 


Macomb.    111. 


Established   1892 

THE    WABASH    CLAY    COMPANY'S 

SUCCESSORS 

THE  VEEDERSBURG  PAVER 
COMPANY 

PAVING-BRICK    MAKERS 
VEEDERSBURG,    IND. 

J.  B.  Casey,  Mgr. 

VITRIFIED    SHALE    REPRESSING    BLOCKS 

STANDARD    WIRE-CUT    BLOCKS 

DUNN    WIRE-CUT-LUG    BLOCKS 

FACE   BRICK  AND   BUILDING   BRICK 

DIRECT    SHIPMENTS    ON    THREE 


Bis    Four 


RAILROADS- 
Clover    Leaf 


C.    A.    &    S. 


For   over   Third   of  a   Century   the   Standard   o" 

Specifications     Throughout     the     Middle     West. 

The     Great     Indianapolis     Motor     Speedway     i; 

Paved    with    our    Material. 


Centennial     Book 


Karl   D.   Robison 
President 


Thos.  B.  Crigler 
Vice-President 


C.  V.   Sorenson 
Secretary 


W.   H.    Tinsman 
Treasurer 


THE  ATTICA  CHAMBER  OE  COMMERCE 


DIRECTORS 
J.  Shannon  Nave 
W.    B.    Schermerhorn 
Wallace    Haworth 
Hubert   R.   Washburn 
C.  V.   Sorenson 
James  A.   Coffing 


ATTICA,  INDIANA 


DIRECTORS 
Joseph   J.    Rice 
John   W.    Henry 
Floyd   E.    Poston 
Thos.  B.  Crigler 
Ira  M.  Means 
Geo.  M.  Williams 


The  City  of  Attica  is  justly  proud  of  the  part  its  business 
men  have  taken  in  the  development  of  Fountain  County. 
Turning  the  pages  of  history  since  1826  finds  Attica  play- 
ing a  prominent  part  in  each  step  of  progress. 

Today  more  determined  than  ever,  Attica,  through  its 
Chamber  of  Commerce  looks  forward  with  confidence  to 
the  future. 


The  Attica  Chamber  of  Commerce,  realizing  that  co-opera- 
tion is  the  corner  stone  of  the  County's  future  progress  is 
eager  and  determined  to  play  its  full  part  in  the  second 
chapter  of  Fountain  County's  history. 


Fountain    County 


In  Memory  of  My  Great  Grandfather 

GENERAL   JESSE   OSBORN 

Who  Was  the  Third  White  Settler  of  Fountain  County, 

and  After  Whom 

OSBORN  PRAIRIE 

Was  Named. 

F.  L.  COFFING, 

Licensed  Engineer. 


ONE  HUNDRED  YEARS  AGO 

The  Binder,  the  Tractor,  the  Cultivator — in  fact  all  of  the 
Farming  Equipment  now   in   use,  were  undreamed  of. 

FOR  NEARLY  FIFTY  YEARS 

This  great  Implement  Store  has  been  keeping  abreast  of 
the  Time,  and  supplying  this  fine  agricultural  community 
with  the  Tools  and  Equipment  that  have  contributed  largely 
to   its  Growth  and  Development. 

Our  Aim  will  Always  be  to  keep  pace  with 
this  Development  and  render  Efficient 
Service. 

CLAUDE    E.    MARQUESS 

Successor  to 
T.  H.  McGEORGE  COMPANY 

Established  1878 
COVINGTON,  INDIANA 


Centennial      Book 


THE  FOUNTAIN  TRUST  COMPANY 

Established  in   1803 
COVINGTON,  INDIANA 

Capital   Stock   S  25,003.03 

Surplus   and   Profits   13.617.98 

Deposits    (June  30,  1926)    103,409.86 

OFFICERS 
W.  W.  LAYTON,  President  J.    M.   WILKEY,    Secretary 

C.  H.  DICKEN,   Vice-President  W.   E.   BILSLAND,   Asst.   Sec. 

DIRECTORS 
W.  W.  Layton  A.  N.  Hendrix  Charles   H.   Dicken 

L.  M.  Dunlap  J.  B.   Schwin  W.   E.   Bilsland 

Where  would  our  country  be  today  if  it  were  not  for  the  power  to 
do  of  our  forefathers? 

They  fought  against  tremendous  odds  and  won. 

WE  INVITE  YOUR  ACCOUNT  and  trust  that  you  may  have  the 
"Power"  to  make  your  bank  account  in  this  bank  a  substantial  growing 
one. 


A  CORDIAL  WELCOME  AWAITS 
ALL  CENTENNIAL  VISITORS  AT— 

THE     OST     SODA     SHOP 

H.  G.  OST,  Prop. 

Ice    Creams,    Cooling    Drinks,    Fine    Candies 
and   Cigars. 

"We  are  Building  for  Another  Century'' 
COVINGTON  INDIANA 


Fountain    County 


VEEDERSBURG 


'That  Friendly   City" 


Located  in  the  heart  of  Fountain  County,   extends   congratula- 
tions at  her  Centennial  celebration. 


OFFICIAL  FAMILY 

John  W.  Marshall,  Mayor 

Oliver   W.   McGaughey,   Clerk-Treasurei 

Vance  Snyder   and  Arthur  0.  Songer,   Councilmen-at-large 

William  H.   Dodge,  Councilman   First  Ward 

Grover  F.  Holmes,  Councilman  Second  Ward 

John   W.   Burgner,   Councilman   Third   Ward 

John  P.   Brissey,  City  Attorney 


POLICE 

Frank   Trobaugh,   City   Marshall    and   Fire   Chief 
Calvin  H.  Scherer,  Night  Policeman 


BOARD  OF  HEALTH 

Dr.  Carl  B.  McCord,  Secretary 
Dr.  W.  F.  Purnell  Dr.  O.  V.  Simmerman 


Centennial      Book 


To  the  Memory  of  My  Grandfather 

ELIJAH  FUNK 

Who  Settled  in  What  is  Now   Van  Buren  Township, 

Fountain  County,  in  1822. 

GEORGE  McMURTRIE 

Auditor  of  Fountain  County 

You   Will   Find 

TWENTY-SEVEN  YEARS 

THE   NEWEST  DESIGNS 

and 

in  Business 

THE  BEST  VALUES 

in 

Selling  the  Best  Meats 

at  the  Lowest  Price 

FINE  FOOTWEAR 

at 

MERRYMAN  BROTHERS 

J.       L.       PETERS 

Established   August,    1904 

Covington,                                     Indiana 

Covington,  Indiana 

Fountain    County 


"The  Old  Reliable" 


NEW    plant    of   the    INTERSTATE 
SAND  &   (VRAVEL   COMPANY 


The  Interstate  Sand  &  Gravel  Company  was  organ- 
ized and  commenced  operations  at  Covington  in  1903 
when  the  sand  and  gravel  industry  was  in  its  infancy. 
The  original  operation  was  on  a  small  scale  and  only 
the  pit  run  gravel  was  shipped.  By  1906  the  demand 
had  increased  until  the  installation  of  loading  machin- 
ery was  necessary.  The  Company  operated  a  Dry 
Screening  plant  until  1909  when  a  crushing,  screening 
and  washing  plant  was  built.  This  plant  contained  the 
latest  and  best  type  of  machinery  for  grading  sand  and 
gravel  and  was  successfully  operated  until  1925  when 
the  present  plant  was  placed  in  service.  The  new  plant 
illustrated  above  has  a  daily  capacity  of  3,000  tons,  is 
electrically  equipped  throughout,  and  contains  the  most 
modern  and  best  equipments  obtainable.  The  plant 
produces  all  the  standard  grades  of  sand  and  gravel, 
washed  clean  for  all  kinds  of  concrete  construction,  for 
gravel  road  construction  and  maintenance  and  for  rail- 
road ballast. 

A.  M.  DeHaven  of  Covington  is  President  of  the 
Company,  H.  L.  McGurk  of  Terre  Haute  is  Secretary 
and  Treasurer,  and  0.  L.  Spinning  of  Covington  is 
Superintendent  in  charge  of  operations. 


Centennial     Book 


SELECT  GIFTS— 

TO   DECORATE  THE   HOME 

Even  the  most  beautiful  mansion  is 
an  unpleasant  place  to  live  unless  the 
atmosphere    is    homelike. 

Refurnish  in  a  cheery  inviting 
manner.  Make  home  a  place 
to  really  love. 


A     WONDERFUL     LINE     OF 
NEW    FURNITURE. 


KERR   &   SONS 

Covington.    Ind. 


J.  SHANNON  NAVE 


Lawyer 


NAVE  &  JOHNSON 


Farm    Loans 


Farmers  &  Merchants  State  Bank 


Attica,    Indiana 


SEVENTEEN  YEARS 

in 
SERVICE 

This  organization  has  ever  been  in 
the  van  in  adopting  new  equipment 
and  new  methods — anything  tending 
towards   a  betterment   of   service. 

Our  service  is  available  any- 
where and  all  times — and 
distance  is  no  object. 

Our     Prices     Are     Never     Higher 

KERR  &   SONS 

Distinctive    Funeral    Service 

Phones — Day   9S  Residence   17 

Covington,    Ind. 


CRIGLER'S  DRUG  STORE 


A    Drua;   Store    Since    1860 


Everything  a  Drug  Store 
Carries 

Attica,    Indiana 


Fountain     County 


(I . 

D.    J.    YOUNG    &    CO. 

VEEDERSBURG 

MELLOTT  LUMBER  CO. 

LUMBER  CO. 

Lumber 

and 

A    Good   Yard    in 

Everything   to   Build 

All   Building 

a  Good  Town 

Anything 

Supplies 

Mellott,    Ind. 

Covington,    Ind 

Veedersburg,   Ind. 

J.     FRED     PARHAM 

Gifts  That  Will  Last 

Until   the   Next 

Undertaker 

and 

CENTENNIAL 

Embalmer 

AT 

Veedersburg,    Indiana 

ROBB'S    JEWELRY    STORE 

1  ( 

Centennial     Book 


100  YEARS  AGO— 

You  could  not  see  Motion  Pictures 


TODAY- 


You  can  see  the  best  first  at  the 


LYRIC    THEATRE 


Covington,  Indiana 

tr.  and  Mrs.  I.  T.  Sollers 
Owners 


MONT  BOORD 


FRANK  SHELBY 


BOORD    &    SHELBY 

MORTUARY 

Funeral  Directors  to  the  People  of 
Fountain  and  adjoining  Counties 
since 

1879 


Ambulance  Service 


at  Covington 


_.  (  Office  141 

Fnones—  ^  Residence  43  &  4 


Funeral  Chapel 


Fountain     County 


0€E 
CG3EAM 


Made  in  Crawfordsville,  Indiana. 


BUILD  WITH  BRICK 

Poston-Herron  Brick  Co. 

Manufacturers    oi 

Artistic  Face  Brick 

Attica,    Indiana 


Centennial     Book 


The  Oldest  Banking  Institution  In 
Fountain  County 


The  Citizens  Bank  of  Covington  is  the  oldest  banking  institution  in 
Fountain  County.  About  the  year  1850,  J.  G.  Hardy  began  a  banking  business 
along  with  his  various  other  business  interests  in  Covington.  In  1881  Sampson 
Reed  entered  the  business  with  Mr.  Hardy  at  which  time  the  institution  took 
the  nam?  of  The  Citizens  Bank.  In  1886  Mr.  Hardy  retired  and  George  Mc- 
Comas  joined  with  Mr.  Reed  in  the  bank.  In  1891  Mr.  McComas  sold  his 
interest  to  Mr.  Reed.  From  this  date  to  the  date  of  his  death  in  1912,  Sampson 
Reed  conducted  The  Citizens  Bank  as  a  private  bank. 

The  Citizens  Bank  continued  as  a  private  bank  until  1914  when  it  was 
again  chartered  a  state  bank  with  Dan  C.  Reed,  President,  and  Worth  Reed, 
Cashier.  The  present  Cashier,  Sanford  P.  Gray,  has  been  in  the  service  of  the 
bank  continuously  since  1891. 

Like  every  other  business  institution  or  enterprise,  The  Citizens  Bank,  in 
its  inception,  represented  somebody's  ambition  to  make  money.  Its  founders 
were  successful  men,  and  their  ideas  of  business  and  service  gave  birth  to  this 
Institution  that  has  lived  long  after  they  are  gone.  It  has  passed  from  genera- 
tion to  generation  and  is  no  longer  merely  a  place  of  business.  It  represents 
the  lives  that  have  been  dedicated  to  its  building.  It  lives — breathes  the  life  of 
the  community — gives  to  the  life  of  the  community — receives  life  from  the 
community.  It  is  the  handiwork  of  those  that  have  served  it  and,  in  turn,  is  no 
less  the  Master  Artist  that  produced  and  developed  their  lives. 

There  is  perhaps  no  institution  that  has  a  better  opportunity  to  be  of  real 
service,  and  bring  genuine  happiness  and  contentment  to  the  life  of  a  com- 
munity than  has  a  bank.  The  Citizens  Bank  has  three  quarters  of  a  century  of 
history  back  of  it.  That  extends  back  to  a  period  whose  events  are  growing  dim 
in  the  memory  of  the  living,  back  to  a  day  whose  foot-prints  on  the  sands  of 
time  are  trailing  toward  oblivion,  and  whose  voices  are  growing  faint — almost 
inaudible.  And  yet,  if  the  management  attunes  itself  to  the  traditions  of  such 
an  institution,  the  foot-prints  along  the  path  of  past  experiences  and  the  voices 
of  other  days  bring  guidance  to  the  present  and  sound  assurance  for  the  future. 
We  believe  success  and  sound  progress  will  be  the  reward  to  any  individual  or 
institution  that  follows  the  advice  of  the  old  adage: 

"Be  not  the  first  to  take  up  the  new, 
Nor  yet  the  last  to  lay  the  old  aside." 

We  congratulate  Fountain  County  on  this  the  hundredth  anniversary  of 
her  birth.  She  has  a  history  of  which  she  may  be  justly  proud.  She  may  be 
forgiven  if  she  boasts  of  the  sons  and  daughters  she  has  given  to  the  world. 

We  desire  to  join  with  the  citizens  and  friends  of  the  County  in  a  vote  of 
thanks  to  the  Richard  Henry  Lee  Chapter  of  the  Daughters  of  the  American 
Revolution  who  are  sponsoring  this  Centennial  Celebration,  and  to  their  corps 
of  helpers  from  the  various  Townships.  In  pageant,  song,  and  story  Fountain 
County's  past  again  lives. 


Fountain     County 


1904                                                1926 

May  Fountain   County  prosper  during 

the  next  One  Hundred   Years,   as 

it     has    during    the     Century 

just   closing,   is   the   wish 

MONROE  HAAS 

of 

General    Merchandise 

MILTON  PETET 

NEWTOWN,  INDIANA 

Assessor   of 

Fountain    County 

1904                                              1926 

FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 

Provides  Cream  for  the  Manufacture  of 

WRAY'S  PURE  CREAMERY  BUTTER 

Centennial     Book 


Congratulations  to  Fountain  County  on  the  occasion  of 
attaining  its  One   Hundredth  Anniversary. 

May  the  next  century   see  an  even  greater  growth   and 
achievement  than  the  last. 

Let    us    honor   the   pioneers   who    by    their    labors    and 
privations  have  given  us  this  wonderful  heritage. 

ELIZABETH     W.     SPENCE 

County  Treasurer 
Fountain  County  Indiana 


Fountain     County 


CAPT.  SCHUYLER  LATOURETTE 


Born    1834  -  Died    1926 

Age  92  Years 


In  loving  memory  of  my  father, 
one  of  the  Pioneers  of  Fountain 
County,  and  with  sincere  appre- 
ciation of  the  efforts  of  everyone 
who  has  made  possible  this 
CENTENNIAL  of  our  great 
County 


FRED   C.    LATOURETTE 

Wabash    Township 


Special    Bargains    at    All    Times 

at 

HEGG'S     STORE 

The    only   cut-price    Store    in 
Covington,   Indiana 

Northwest   Corner   of   Square 
Loeb's    Old    Stand. 

MEN'S      &      BOYS'      CLOTHING, 

FURNISHINGS,      BOOTS       & 

SHOES,   HATS    &    CAPS. 

A    Trial    Is    All    We    Ask 
Prices    Always    the   Lowest 

Phone   263 


Congratulations    to    the 

D.     A.     R. 

and    the    people    of 

FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 

upon   the   occasion    of   this 

CENTENNIAL 


JAMES  C.  CLAYPOOL 

Representative    in    the    Indiana   Legis- 
lature from  Fountain   County 


Centennial     Book 


May  Success  attend  the  efforts  of  the 
Daughters  of  the  American  Revolu- 
tion and  everyone  assisting  in  com- 
memorating the  One  Hundredth 
Anniversary  of  the  great  County  of 
Fountain. 


FRED  S.  PURNELL 

Representative   in   the   Congress   from 

the  Ninth  Congressional  District 

of  Indiana. 


ASK  FOR 


AT  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY  DEALERS 


Attica    Country    Club 
Boatman's    Drug    Store 
Rogers    Park 
Graham's     Drug     Store 
Oscar    Johns 
Ost    Soda     Shop 
Robinson    Drug    Store 


Attica 

Veedersburg 

Covington 

Veedersburg 

Hillsboro 

Covington 

Attica 


Tinsman's    Cafe 
Jas.    Whiteside 
Witt    Cafe 
Wallace    Drug    Store 
O.   P.   Woody 


Attica 

Newtown 

Newtown 

Veedersburg 

Stone   Bluff 


Woodworth     Filling    Station    -    Veedersburg 
Mi- Ma  n  m  a  I    Cafe        ...        Veedersbuig 


Fountain     County 


Emery  6.   Bounell,   President 
J.  J.   Williams,   Vice-President 
Wm.  A.   Wright,  Vice-President 


Thurman   W.   Long,    Cashier 

I.  S.   Hamilton,  Assistant  Cashier 

Prank  Deth,   Assistant    Cashier 


THE  HILLSBORO  STATE  BANK 
Hillsboro,  Indiana 

Pays    Double    Interest. 
Personal       and       4% 


19(10 


1926 


As  Covington  welcomes  you 
to  its  CENTENNIAL,  so  do 
we  welcome  you  to  our 
STORE. 

Backed  by  twenty-six  years 
of    Service. 


WM.     DENNIS     CO. 


BELTON   CANDY   CO. 

Wholesale  Candies 
Fruits    and    Syrups 

Soda  Fountain   Supplies 
Federal   Judge    Cigars 

217   East   North   St. 

Danville         -        Illino's 
Telephone  Main  831 


Centennial     Book 


GLOVER  DRY  GOODS  CO. 

One   of   the  land  marks   in 

Established     in     Veedersburg, 

Fountain    County 

Indiana,    a    quarter    of   a    cen- 

tury  ago,   values   most   highly 
the    friendship    of    the    large 

THE  FARMERS  STATE  BANK 

clientele  which  they  are  serv- 

Veedersburg,   Indiana 

ing. 

W.    E.    GLOVER,    Proprietor 

A    Friend    to    Enterprise" 

GEO.   S.  &  B.  E.   GLOVER 

Hart    Schaffner    &    Marx 

Clothing 

CLIFFORD  C.  CRUMLEY  &  SON 

Enro    Shirts 

Emerson   Hats 

Funeral   Directors 

Walk-Over  and   Beacon 

and 

Shoes 

Granite  Dealers 

Munsing-Wear 

Hillsboro,        -        Indiana 

Rugby   Sweaters 

Dry   Goods    and    Notions 

Veedersburg,    Indiana 

Fountain     County 


More  Cows  —More  Money 


The   Ideal    and   Profitable   Way   to 
Market  Your   Dairy   Product — 

SWEET  CREAM 

INDIANA  CONDENSED  MILK  CO. 
Phone  82  Veedersburg,  Ind. 


HASTINGS     &     HUNT 

Drugs   and   Jewelry 
"Yours  for  Service" 

Phone   135 

Covington,  Indiana 


W.  B.  Cartwright,  Veedersburg, 
Indiana,  wishes  to  compliment  the 
D.  A.  R.  of  Fountain  county  for 
their  splendid  efforts  in  behalf  of 
the    Centennial    Celebration. 


Centennial     Book 


HERES  OUR  HAND- 


GLAD  YOU  CAME 

You  had  better  stay;    it's  the 
finest    town    in    the    U.    S.    A. 

COVINGTON 

W.  R.  MASSEY  &  SON 

Law,    Real    Estate, 
Insurance    &    Farm    Loans 


A  HEGG 

Built  your  grandfather's  house, 
a  HEGG  built  your  house,  or  will, 
and  we  trust  that  a  HEGG  will 
build    for    your    grandchildren. 

Let  us  show  you  our  work  and 
give    you    estimates. 

With  the  best  of  good  wishes 
for  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY  and  its 
people,    I   am, 

Yours   truly, 

L.     D.     HEGG 

General    Contractor 
Covington,  Indiana 


1840 


For  Nearly  A  Century 


1926 


The  Covington  Friend 

Oldest  Newspaper  in  Fountain  County 


HAS  SERVED  THE  PEOPLE  OF  COVINGTON 
AND  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 

For  the  past  forty  years  THE  FRIEND  has  been 
under  the  present  management,  and  it  has  been  a 
pleasure  to  work  with  our  people  inspired  as  our 
citizenry  have  been,  to  build  a  county  of  which 
all  may  be  proud — to  build  not  only  for  this 
generation,  but  for  posterity. 


JOHN    li.  SCI1WIY  Ou-nr-r 


GEO.  P.  SCHWIN,  Publisher 


Fountain     County 


THIS 
SPACE 
RESERVED 
FOR 


HARRISON  STEEL  CASTINGS 

NATIONAL  CAR  COUPLER  COMPANY 

ATTICA,  INDIANA 


Centennial     Book 


THE     CENTRAL      NATIONAL     BANK 


Attica,  Indiana 


Capital 

Surplus  &  Undivided  Profits 

Resources 


$    100,000.00 

50,000.00 

1,000,000.00 


OFFICERS 


Chas.   L.   Meharrj- 
O.    S.    Clark 


President 
Vice-President 


w 

B 

Schermerl 

Lorn 

Cashier 

H. 

W 

Newlin 

- 

Assistant    Cashier 

P. 

W. 

Brown 

Ass 

distant    Cashier 

DIRECTORS 

0. 

S. 

Clark 

Chas. 

L.    Meharry 

James 

A.   Coffing 

T. 

E. 

Martin 

F. 

z. 

Helms 

W 

B. 

Schermerhorn 

Harr 

V  E. 

Van 

Dev 

enter 

Fountain     County 


Veedersburg 
Kingman 


FOUNTAIN  PRODUCE  COMPANY 

Cash  Buyers  of 

Poultry,   Eggs,   Butter,   Hides 

and   Wool    in   Season 

TELEPHONES 
72  Covington 

53  Wingate 

Wavnetown  162 


367 
155 


SALES  AND  SERVICE— 

Hupmobile 

Reo 

Oldsmobilt 

JACOBSON  &  JOHNSON 
Attica,    Indiana 


FRAZIER 

SHOE 

STORE 

A   Home   Institution 
We    Shoe   the   Family 

Veedersburg,   Indiana 


Centennial     Book 


THE  ATTICA  BUILDING  AND  LOAN  ASSOCIATION 
Capital  Stock:  $3,000,000.00  Assets:  $1,240,667.00 


THE    LARGEST    FINANCIAL    INSTITUTION    IN    FOUNTAIN    AND 
WARREN  COUNTIES 


WE  HAVE  DONE  MORE  FOR  THE  UPBUILDING  OF  ATTICA  AND 
OF  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY   THAN  ANY   OTHER  INSTITUTION 


We  have  made  to  our  stockholders  more  than  $5,000,000.00  of  Loans, 
with  which  to  build  homes,  business  buildings,  lodges,  churches  and 
many  other  legitimate  purposes.  We  have  more  than  $1,000,000.00  of 
loans  in  force  as  dividend  producers. 

We  have  never  paid  less  than  six  per  cent  dividends  and  have 
often  paid  more,  and  have  paid  to  our  stockholders  over  $900,000.00  in 
dividends. 

We  have  now  2,200  stockholders  and  will  be  glad  to  have  more 
and  number  YOU  among  us.  No  weekly  or  monthly  payments  too 
large  and  none  too  small.  Come,  be  one  of  us.  Mail  inquiries  prompt- 
ly cared  for. 

CALL  ON  OR  ADDRESS  WILL  B.  REED,  SECRETARY 


FARMERS-MERCHANTS  STATE  BANK  BUILDING 

ATTICA,    INDIANA 


Fountain     County 


THE  COVINGTON   BUILDING  AND  LOAN  ASSOCIATION 

CONTINUOUSLY  IN  BUSINESS  FOR  40  YEARS 

During  its  forty  years  of  business  it  has  encouraged  thrift  and  economy  and 
has  collected  and  handled  the  saving  of  its  members  amounting  in  round  num- 
bers to  ONE   MILLION  DOLLARS    ($1,000,000,001. 

During  its  40  years  of  business  no  member  has  lost  a  dollar  entrusted  to  it. 

It  has  always0  paid  good  dividends  in  cash  to  investors  and  in  credits  on  their 
loans  to  its  borrowers. 

Its  present  assets  are  more  than  One  Hundred  Thousand  Dollars  ($100,000.00) 
and  growing,  and  it  has  not  a  Dollar's  worth  of  bad  paper. 

It  is  prepared  at  all  times  to  make  loans  on  good  property. 

Members  desiring  to  do  so  can  withdraw  their  savings  in  cash  at  any  time 
with  interest  thereon. 

This  Association  is  one  of  the  oldest  and  most  substantial  financial  institu- 
tions of  Fountain  county. 

During  its  40  years  of  existence  it  has  enabled  many  young  men  to  save  up 
money  and  start  in  business,  others  to  buy,  build,  repair  and  beautify  their  homes- 

What  it  has  done  for  others  it  can  do  for  you. 

Shares  can  be  taken  out  at  any  time. 

THE  CHARTER  MEMBERS 

Following  is  a  list  of  the  names  of  the  original  stock  holders: 


John   B.   Schwin 
John  H.   Sailor 
R.  W.  Miles 
C.  H.  Gwinn 
David  Ferguson 
Geo.  W.   Meitzler 
Wm.    H.    Miles 
Lynn   Spinning 
T.  B.  McMahon 
John   A.    O'Brien 
T.  G.   Gallagher 
Clyde   G.   Merryman 
Joe  Nelson 
William  H.  Cox 
Wilkinson    Crane 
Chas.  F.  Froyd 
Warren  A.  Griggs 
John  M.  Miller 
Geo.   K-    McComas 
John    W.    Sullivan 
Sallie    Glascock 
Mrs.   C.   Purfeerest 
C.   M.   McCabe 
Mary   Ludlow 
George    Rowland 
M.  H.  Clark 
Mark   Rogers 
Harry  Voltz 
Frank  Diehl 
J.   A.    Moore 
John  Nichol 
Thomas  Hanson 
Isaac  Johnson 


Thomas   John 
John   Sayers 
Wm-   Kreusch 
Samuel   Martin 
Peter  Ost 
C.   W.   Thompson 
M.  E.  Richey 
John   Slattery 
Challen   Spinning 
A.    Marlatt 
John   B.   Martin 
N.  G.  Harlow 
Chas.    Bergdahl 
Bertha    Bergdahl 
R.  C  King 

A.  Barkley 
John  Meitzler 
Tara  Senior 
Frank   Lannich 
T.  M.  Rinn 
John    B.    Bippus 
Barbara    Purfeerest 
Oliver    Hutson 

J.  H.  Henselman 
V.   E.   Livengood 
Geo.  W-   Martin 
Matt   Stewart 
Michael  Mayer 
Kate  Booe 
J.   R.   Meitzler 
Ed    Cardliff 

B.  W.   Lawson 


Asa  Hunter 
Starbuck   &   Bonner 
John   Yeagy 
Amel   Franklin 
D.  C.  Martin 
J.  L.  Townsley 
J.   W.   Stotts 
J.  C.  Kelley 
S.  S.  Adolph 
Chas.  V.  Harden 
G.  W-  Merryman 
Ann  E.  Savage 
Dode  L.  Rice 
T.  J.  Marlatt 
M.  Gish 

Joseph   McMahon 
J.  W.  Mock 
D.  V.  Spence 
John  F-  Schuster 
Chas.  E.  Booe 
J.  M.  Adamson 
Henry  Peters 
J.  B.  Crannell 
John  Peters 
James  Stewart 
Jacob   Peters,   Sr. 
O.  S.  Douglass 
J.   F-   Holland 
T.  G.  Glascock 
Celestia  Froyd 
H.  Lemp 


W.  F.  Vogt 

Of  the  above  probably  34  are  still  living  and  three  of  these 
present  officers  of  the  Association. 

The  officers  of  the  Association  are: 

O.  S.  Douglass,  President  and  Attorney. 
John  B.  Schwin,  Vice-President. 
William  R.  Massey,  Secretary. 
M.  Mayer,  Treasurer. 

BOARD  OF  DIRECTORS 
John  B.  Schwin  Wm.  R.  Massey 

M.   Mayer  Peter  Ost 

O.  S.  Douglass  Charles   A.   Brown 


are  among  the 


Wm.  E.  Bilsland 
J.  Earl  Romine 
Alva   DeHaven 


Centennial     Book 


THE  TRIBE  OF   BEN-HUR,  a  fraternal   life  insurance 
society,  insures  men,  women  and  children. 

ASSETS  more  than  Six  Million. 

ISSUES  legal  reserve  certificates  that  contain  practically 
all  the  requirements  of  the  average  man  or  woman. 

HOME  OFFICE,  CRAWFORDSVILLE,   IND. 


CITIZENS  STATE  BANK 

KINGMAN 


Wm.  M.  Ratcliff — Pres. 

L.    A.    Clingan — Vice-Pres. 

H.   E.   Towell — Cashier. 

J.    M.    Sowers — Asst.-Cashier. 

R.  D.  Alexander — Asst.  Cashier 

DIRECTORS 
Wm.  M.  Ratcliff. 
Wm.    H.    Sowers 
Wm.    T.   Briggs 
Frank  Maris 
Geo.  F.   Sines 
James  B.  White 
Harry  E.  Towell 

The   Bank   that   Service   Builds 
Bigger 


1879 


THE  PIONEER  DRUG  STORE 

J.   M.  CORY,  Prop. 

Has  been  serving  the  people  of  King- 
man and  vicinity  for  nearly  a 
half    century 


KINGMAN    - 


INDIANA 


Fountain     County 


PROGRESS  over  the  past  one  hundred  years 
is  very  strikingly  illustrated  by  the  Electric 
Utility  Industry.  In  1826,  unknown  and  un- 
dreamed of,  Electric  Service  today  represents  an 
indespensible  part  of  Modern  Civilization. 

We  look  forward  with  confidence  and  eagerness 
to  the  part  this  Company  will  play  in  the  next  act 
of  Fountain  County's  Drama  of  Progress,  and 
who  is  there  with  enough  confidence  to  prophecy 
to  what  extent  Electricity  will  carry  mankind 
forward  in  the  next  one  hundred  years. 

This  county  has  good  railroads,  rich  farming 
lands,  a  healthful  climate,  and  a  high  type  of  cit- 
izenship, with  an  unusual  degree  of  determination 
and  aggressiveness.  In  the  past  two  years  has 
been  added  to  the  above,  an  inexhaustible  supply 
of  that  unseen  servant,  Electricity.  Is  any  rea- 
sonable mark  too  high  to  set  as  the  County's  goal 
in  2026? 

Attica  Electric  Company 

ATTICA,  INDIANA 


(    i    \  i  k  \  n i  a l     Book 


THE  COVINGTON  PACKING  CO. 

Packers  of  "EATHEBEST"  Brand 
Fruits  and  Vegetables 


Covington. 


Indiana 


From  the  stumpy  garden  to  the  cleared  field, 
From  the  log  cabin  to  the  modern  home; 
From  a  crooked  trail  to  the  paved  highway, 
From  ox-cart  to  automobile, 

From  barter  and  exchange  to  co-operative  marketing 
From  one  hundred  years  ago  until  today; 

Agriculture  has  been    the    most    permanent     industry    in     Fountain 
County. 

Its  success  and  future  development  is  the  goal  of  this  organization. 


FARM  BUREAU  FEDERATION 


F'ountain     County 


W.  L.  MILLER 

CHEVROLET  SALES  AND  SERVICE 
Mellott,  Indiana 


THE  FARMERS  BANK 

Capital    Stock    $10,000 
Responsibility     $400,000 

WALLACE,   INDIANA 

OFFICERS 

I.    E.    Wilkinson — President 

Charles    Bever — Vice-President 

Glenn     Shuler — Cashier 

DIRECTORS 

L.  M.  Myers  John  C.  Goodin 

Chas.    Hallett  W.    L.  Brunei- 

Jacob  E.  Fine         I.    E.   Wilkinson 
Charles  Bever 


W.  H.  RAMSEY  AUTO  CO. 

I  [illsboro,  Indiana 

DODGE  BROTHERS  MOTOR 
VEHICLES 

For  Dependable  Transportation 


Centennial     Book 


THE  HENDRIX  MOTOR  COMPANY 

"THE    HOME    OF    THE    FORD" 
SINCE    1920 


COVINGTON 


INDIANA 


FOUNTAIN-WARREN  COUNTY,  INDIANA 
MEDICAL  SOCIETY 

President — C.   C.   Wert,   M.   D. 
Vice-President — J.  R.   Burlington,  M.  D. 
Secretary — A.   L».   Spinning,   M.   D. 


S.  S.  DeLaney. 


CENSORS 

W.  A.  Johnson, 


C.  C.  Wert 


MEMBERS 
A.   C.   Holly,   M.  D. 
C.  B.  McCord,  M.  D 
A.    R.    Kerr,    M.   D. 
E.  W.  Kirk,  M.  D. 
E.   E.   Johnson,   M.   D. 
S.  Lambright,  M.  D. 
G.   C.   Beckett,   M.  D. 


MEMBERS 

R.    Stephenson,    M.   D. 
E.  G.  Bounell,  M.  D. 
J.  C.  Freed,  M.  D 
J.  W.  Aldridge,  M.  D. 
A.   U   Ratcliff,   M.   D 
O.    F.    Wellenreiter,    M.   D. 
Geo.  S.  Porter,  M.  D 
Geo.  E.  Baker,  M.  D 


Fountain     County 


THE  FIRST  NATIONAL  BANK 

FOUNDED   1894  INCORPORATED    1910 

Capital  $70,000.00 

COVINGTON,   INDIANA 


"W.  W.  Layton.  President 
J.  E.  Romine,  Cashier 


OFFICERS 

A.  N.  Hendrix,  Vice- President 

Lee  Philpott,  Asst.  Cashier 


DIRECTORS 

W.   W.   Layton.  A.  N.   Hendrix,  M.   Mayer,  J.   E.   Romine 

E.  E.   Leas,  S.  J.   Metzger,  C.   H.  Dicken 


STOCKHOLDERS 


Mrs.  Lena  K.  Barnes 
W.  E.  Bilsland 

W.    T.    Coffin 

Duward    Death 

l  'harles   Denten 

C.    H.    Dicken 

Wm.    Dixon 

Perry  D  xon 

L   M.    Dunlap 

C.  W.  Galloway 

A.   N.   Hendrix 

Mrs.    Lulu   G.    Hiigel 

Glenn    Hughes 

Miss   Bertha  J.   Lacey 

C.   E.   Layton 

F.   E.    Layton 

W.  W.   Layton 

E.  E.   Leas 

Mrs.    .Minnie    M.    Luis 

F.  E.    Livengood 
Mrs.    J.    Loeb 
Geo.    H.   Mayer 


Michael    Mayer 

Mrs.    Elizabeth    McGeorge 

David    Metzger 

Mrs.   Grace  Metzger 

S.   J.    Metzger 

J.    N.    Miller 

Mrs.  Cora  L.  Myers 

Smith    Myers 

Lee    Philpotl 

Mrs,   Elizabeth  Quiggle 

Freddie   Quiggle 

Airs.   Alma    II.    Rog-ers. 

Roy   A.    Rogers,    Jr. 

J.    E.    Romine 

F.    E.    Sanders 

Jas.  H.   Sanders 

Mrs.    Lena    S.   Schoonover 

.1.    B.    Sch  win 

.    i  ;.         d  a  "Wheatley 

>  '.    .v.    AVooster 

.Mrs.    Elizabeth   Wright 


A  MEMBER  OF  THE  FEDERAL  RESERVE  BANKING 

SYSTEM 

Every  Department  of  This  Bank  is  Under  the  Direct 
Supervision  of  the  United  States  Government 


Centennial     Book 
THE  MELLOTT  BANK 

MELLOTT,   INDIANA 

OFFICERS 
Marion    Abolt — President  Charles    E.    Archer — Vice-Presiden1 

C.  E.  Huff— Cashier 

DIRECTORS 

W.  A.  McClure,  W.  W.  Lay-ton,  Marion  Abolt 

C.  E.  Archer.  C.  E.  Huff 


BISHOP  &  SMITH 


GENERAL  MERCHANDISE 


Established   Aug.    13,    ID  14 


M  KI.LOTT 


INDIANA 


KINGMAN  STATE  BANK 


KINGMAN,     INDIANA 


OFFICERS 

E.    S.    Booe — President 

W.    A.    Parish — Vice-President 

Atha    Weaver — Cashier 

E.    P.    Moore — Asst.    Cashier 


DIRECTORS 

W.  A.  Parish      Troy  C.  Glascock 
A.  M.  Ford        M.  L.  Cory 
E.  S.  Booe 


Fountain     County 


ATTICA 


The  city  of  industries,  good  schools,  churches,  civic  organizations, 
parks,  beautiful  homes  and  hospitable  people  rejoices  at  the  success- 
ful termination  of  100  years  of  progress  of  Fountain  County  and 
takes  pride  in  the  part  it  has  taken  in  the  development  of  the  County 
in  its  various  activities. 


OFFICIAL  FAMILY 

Charles  T.  Jacobson,  Mayor 

Latha  Coen,  City  Clerk  Morris  Blout,  City  Treasurer 

Will  B.  Reed,  City  Attorney 


ALDERMEN  SCHOOL  BOARD 

John  W.  Henry 

A.  W.  Harris  Charles  L.  Meharry 

n      t    w    ni    j  Mrs.  Will  B.  Reed 

Dr.  J.   W.  Rhodes 

Thos.   B.   Crigler  POLICE 

(-.,.         t-     /-  n  Mace  Park 

Uliver   h,.    Lantwell  T         1     t  i-  cc 

Joseph  Joliett 

Ira  M.  Means  Frank  Benamire 


BOARD  OF  HEALTH 

Dr.  A.  R.  Kerr 
Dr.  A.  C.  Holly 
Dr.  J.  Roy  Burlington 

CITY  ENGINEER 

Geo.  P.  N.  Sadler 


Centennial     Book 


HERBERT     CAMPBBLL-Pres. 
W.    V.    STANFIELD— Vice-Pres. 


DAN  B.  GRAY— Cashier 

RUTH   AYDELOTTE— Asst.   Cashier. 


THE  NEWTOWN  BANK 

Newtown,  Indiana 


CAPITAL  AND   SURPLUS    $35,000.00 


ORGANIZED   IN    1904 


WARRICK  BROS. 


HOLLYWOOD 

CONFECTIONERY 


Choice  Soda  Creations  and  Confections 
for  the 


SELECT 


COVINGTON 


INDIANA 


ESTEN  GOODIN 

Congratulates  Fountain  County 
upon  the  attainment  of  its  100th 
Birthday  and  those  who  are 
sponsoring  the  CENTENNIAL. 


Fountain     County 


THE  DEAREST  PLACE  IN  ALL  THE  WORLD 


—OLD  FOUNTAIN  COUNTY 


Hearty  congratulations  to  Fountain  County 
and  all  its  people,  upon  the  attainment  of  its 
one  hundredth  birthday,  which  marks  at  once 
an  historic  consummation  and  a  golden  begin- 
ning'. 


DAVID  S.  FERGUSON 


Il ^ 

THIRTY  YEARS 

MANY  THANKS  AND 

of  active   service   in 

BEST  WISHES- 

General  Insurance  Lines 

With   The    Home    Insurance   of   New 
York,  the  Aetna  of  Hartford,  Fidel  i- 

To  the  people  of  Fountain 
County    for    their    generous 

ty-Phenix,  New    York    Underwriters 
and  Sun  of  London. 

support    given    me     in     the 
discharge     of     my     official 
duties. 

Fire,   Accident,   Life   and   All 
Kinds   of  Bonds. 

A 

continuance   of   this   support    will 
be  sincerely  appreciated  by 

May  we  continue  to  have  your 

favors  and  good  will. 

JAMES    G.    JONES 

N.    G.    HARLOW    &    CO. 
Covington,           -            -           Indiana 

Prosecuting  Attorney 
61st  Judicial  Circuit 

IF  YOU  WERE  A  STRANGER 

L.      L.      WOOD 

Any   place   in  the   U.     S.     or 

General  Merchandise 

Canada,  and  made  inquiry  as 
to   the   best   Drug     Store     in 
town,   you   would   be   directed 
to  one  of  the  10,000 

Has    been    Serving    the     People 

REXALL   STORES 

of   Hillsboro    and    vicinity    for 

Always   courteous,   ever  oblig- 
ing,   conducted      along     busi- 

many years. 

ness   lines,    clean,   fresh   mer- 
chandise   to     offer,     manufac- 
tured  in   their    own    factories 

Sincere  Greetings  on  the 

and    laboratories. 

Centennial 

T.      E.      RAINIER 

The  Rexall  Store 

Hillsboro,         -          Indiana 

Graduate   Pharmacist 

Covington,           -           -            Indiana 

1 

> 


Portion  of  the  Public   I^obby   of   The  Commercial-News   New    Home 

The  Commercial  News 

DANVILLE,  ILLINOIS 


Has  just  completed  a  new  $315,000.00  Home. 

Prints   over    23,000   copies    Daily  —  distributed     by     250 

Carrier  Boys  in  and  out  of  Danville. 
Has  Largest   Circulation    of   Any   Newspaper   in    a   Field 

of  its  size  in  the  United  States. 
Served  by  80  Correspondents  in  Local  Field. 
Uses  over  50  Carloads  of  Print  Paper  Annually. 
Now  in  its  61st  year! 


"THE  PAPER  THAT  DOES  THINGS 


r 


TERMS  $1.50  PER  YEAR 


Pageant  to  be  Re- 
peated Tuesday 


Pageant    Will    Be    Given    at   the    Fair- 
ground Tuesday  Night,  Aug.  24; 
Other    Centennial    Notes 


At  a  special  meeting  of  the  execu- 
tive  committee   of   the   D.   A.   R.,   the 
directors  of  the  chamber  of  commence 
and  officers  of  the  Covington  fair  as- 
sociation,  held   on   Tuesday  night,  a 
decision  was  reached  to  give  a     pre- 
sentation of  the     pageant     again     on 
Tuesday  night,  Aug.  24.  The  perform- 
ance scheduled  for  Wednesday  night, 
Aug.  11,  had  to  be  cancelled  on  ac- 
count of  rain  and  the  promise     was 
made  then  that  it  would  be  repeated 
at  a  later  date.  The  following  Friday 
was   chosen,   but  rain  again  interfer- 
ed. No  admission  will  be  charged  for 
the  presentation  next  Tuesday  night. 
*  *  *  * 


Mrs.  Jessie  Wells  Sande  of  Billings, 
Mont,  has  contributed  the  following 
original  poem,  which  was  recieved  too 
late  for  publication  in  the  Centennial 
book.  Mrs.  Sande  is  a  former  Coving- 
ton girl  and  her  many  friends  regret 
very  much  that  she  was  unable  to  be 
here  for  the  Centennial. 
An  hundred  years!   Oh     Muses     who 

give  forth 
Attendance  on  weak  words 
Of  men  who'd  set  apart  some  portion 

of  some  field 
To  call  forever  sacred  to  some  few, 
Oh  Muses   of  such  power,   attend  us 

now 

With  fitness  for  expression! 
We  would  not  in  sacrilege,  command 
This  portion  of  the  fields  of  God  and 
man 

To    consecration   such   as     statesman 

named, 
(Eternal  homage  to  the  words  of  him) 
But  not  in  less  of  reverence  may  we 

say 


Ind.;  Historical  Bureau,  Indianaplis, 
Ind.;  Dan  W.  Sims,  Lafayette,  Ind.; 
C.  E.  McBrcom,  Augusta,  Wiscnsin; 
Mrs.  Jessie  Wells  Sande,  Billings, 
Montana;  Mrs.  Virginia  Rice  Boord' 
Larede,  Texas;  W.  Jeff  Myers,  Mil- 
ton ville,  Kansas;  Mrs.  Gertrude  Dun- 
can Baker,  Indianapolis;  Pat  Towns- 
ley,  Shreveport,  Louisiana;  Hon. 
James  Bingham,  Harber  Springs 
Mich. ;  A.  A.  Paschal,  Beeville,  Texas ' 
Mrs.  Mary  C.  McWilliams,  Baker,  I 
dianapolis,  Ind.;  Rudolph  Kaufma 
Winslow,  Arizona. 

*  *  *  * 
Mrs.  Courtney  W.  Dice,  Regent  c 
Richard  Henry  Lee   Chapter     Daugh- 
ters  of  the  American  Revolution     ofl 
Covington  announces  the  official  vote 
for  Centennial     Queen     of     Fountain' 
county.       This     vote     was     reported 
through  the  Township  Chairmen  and 
carefully  canvassed,     and  care  taken 
that   all   things    connected   with     the 
contest  should  be  fair  and  impartial. 
The  vote  is  as  follows; 
Troy  township— Miss  Kerr,   101,950. 
VanBuren   township— Miss     Songer' 
28,150. 

Richland  township— Miss  Royal   18  - 
600. 

Logan   township— Miss   Green      17- 
550. 

Cain     township— Miss     Bever      15- 
350. 

Wabash  township— Miss  Yerkes   13  - 
850. 

Davis  township— Miss  Pearson    13- 
150. 

Shawnee     township— Miss     Hoagland,] 
|  8,  650. 

Fulton  township— Miss  Randolph,  6o 

Millcreek  township— Miss  Glascock 
16,  200. 

Jackson   township— Miss   Keller    1 
800. 

*  *  *  * 


THE    QUEEN'S    FLOAT 


On  yester  morn  in  proud  array 
On  city  streets  I  took  my  way 
And  from  the  throng  on  either  side 
Received   the   cheers   both   near     and 


For  which  the  years 

Take   toll   of  just  the  hundred   score 

today' 
Faith  of  our  lathers,  that  we've  taken 

up, 
Be  not  diminished  with  a  lesser  aim 
Of  fervent  zeal  to  keep,  and  prosper 

still, 
This  portion  of  the  grounds,  commem- 
orate! 
Apart  from  all  the  other  grounds  we 

tread 
As   life   moves   towards   its  goal,     we 

keep  and  hold 
The  land  that  calls  us  child 
A  sacred  fold! 
There  have  we   known 
The  kindness  of  the  sense  of  home, 
The   sure   security   of     friends,     that 

lends 
A  sounder  sense  of  pleasure  than  all 

fame 
Or  favor  in  a  foreign  field  can  give, 
No  matter  what  its  bulk. 
This  thing  called  Fame 
Is  merest  fallacy, — is  a  farce 
When  written  for  our  plan 
Discerning  what  in  life  we  hold  most 

dear. 
Oh  haunts   of  youth!    speak  back  as 

we  define  this  consecration 
This   reverance   the   child   heart 
Living  on  within  us,  holds  thus  dear! 
Speak  back,  oh  home  of  yesterday 
And  make  us  know 
You'll  be  our  father,  mother, — home! 
Our  land   of  hallowed   memories   and 

hopes, 
Our  haven  when  the  world  has  done 
With  all   our  roving,   all  our  plans, — 
A  meeting-place  of  soul  to  soul  with 

friends ! 
The    altar-field,    where    world    starved 

youth 
Returning  home,  descends   to  bended 

knee 
Before  your  comfort  shrine 
And  calls  you — "Mine"! 

Jessie  Wells  Sande 

*  *  *  * 

The  Centennial  committee  still  have 
a  number  of  the  Centennial  Books  on 
hand,  which  are  for  sale.  A  copy  of 
this  fine  historical  book  should  be  in 
every  home.  Arrangements  are  being 
made  for  placing  them  on  sale  in  ev- 
ery townshiD. 

*  **     * 

The  Centennial  Committee  wish  to 
acknowledge  kindly  greetings  receiv- 
ed from  the  following  former  Fountain 
County  residents  on  the  occasion  of 
■the  County's  birthday. 

Mrs.  Frank  Torres,  New  York  City; 
Mrs.  Louise  Weldon,  Indianapolis,  Ind. 
Mr.  Julius  R.  Loeb,  New  York  City; 
Mr.  and  Mrs.  David  Plaut,     Goshen, 


wide. 

Both  fore  and  aft  upon  my  breast 
The     Township     Queens     all     stately 

dressed 

Upon  their  thrones  of  white  so  pure, 
Eleven  maidens  sat  demure. 

My  form  on  that  proud  happy  day 
Was  decked  with  snow  of  purest  ray. 
And  as  we  passed  among  the  crowd, 
Received  the  plaudits  long  and  loud. 

And  on  that  proud  and  stately  day 
No  thought  at  all  of  my  dismay, 
But  one  short  day  and  one  dark  night 
And  now  behold  my  present  plight. 

My   whiteness  all  has   ebbed   away, 
How  short  a  time  since  yesterday; 
My  thrones  are  gone,  my  maidens  fled 
My  beauty  pure  is  now  in  threads. 

Beneath  my  haggard  wasted  form, 
All  drenched  with  rain  and  all  forlorn 
Upon  the  ground  in  scattered  heaps 
My  petals  ruined,  a  cause  to  weep. 

How  short  a  life  is  beauty  great, 
Fades  over  night  at  change  of  state. 
But  real  true  worth  like  rays  serene 
Is  never  touched  by  sun  or  rain. 

No  rain  nor  storm  nor  wind  nor  sun 
Can  touch  nor  mar  the  worthy  one, 
Proud  state  and  beauty,  cheers     and 

song 
Are   passing  fancy,   stay  not  long. 

And  in  the  struggle   of  the   soul 
Contribute  nothing  toward  the  goal. 
Great  pomp  and  pride  bear  not     the 

torch 
To  light  the  onward  upward  march. 

But  the  dark  and  lonely  way 
Is  made  both  bright  and  clear  as  day 
By  humble  lives  with  purpose  true 
Who  live  and  toil  and  strive  and  do. 

Not  for  themselves  nor  for  but  few, 
But  for  all  those  whose     needs     are 

great, 
And  by  their  works  they  thus  create 
The  power  to  open  wide  the  gate. 

By  W.  N-  White. 

*  *  *  * 

A  register  of  former  students  of  the 
Covington  High  School  was  opened  at 
the  home  coming  anil  many  happy  re- 
unions of  old  friends  were  held  during 
the  afternoon.  Among  those  who  reg- 
istered were  the  following:  R.  D.  Rich- 
ardson, Richmond,  Ind.;  Anita  Spence 
Jordan,  Indianapolis;  Icelle  Denman 
Gould,  Chicago;  Francis  Whitesell 
Brown,  Ellettsville,  Ind.;  Beryl  Layton 
Galloway,  Williamsport;  Lillian  Reev- 
es Jackson,  Bloomington;  Ruby  Cof- 
flng  Duncan,  Terre  Haute;  Maggie 
Mae     Britton,     Crawfordsville;      Mira 

'   (Continued  on'  Page  8,  Col.  1) 


